Tornado watches and warnings were issued across the central United States from the night of March 10 into the early morning hours of March 11, as meteorologists tracked a line of severe thunderstorms moving across the country.
Communities in Illinois and Indiana were hit by tornadoes as the storm passed through. Heavy hail was reported from Texas to Illinois, and flash flooding was reported in Michigan.
More than 4 million people were under tornado watches as of midnight ET, according to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.
As of 10:30 p.m. Pacific Time, the Prediction Center said a small number of tornadoes, including some severe tornadoes, were possible overnight, as well as large hail and strong winds. Tornado watches remained in place for parts of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, and Indiana.
Lake Village, Indiana receives a ‘direct hit’
At an evening news conference in Newton County, Indiana, authorities confirmed multiple homes were destroyed in Lake Village.
“Lake Village took a direct hit. Please stay away from that area,” said Lake Township Fire Chief Rob Churchill.
“Let the first responders do what they have to do,” said Sheriff Shannon Cothran. He described it as “tremendous damage.” North Newton Middle School has been opened for those in need of immediate evacuation, and school officials are dispatching a bus to the fire department to provide transportation, he said.
More than 2,300 customers, or about 44% of the county, were without power, according to USA TODAY’s outage tracking. In neighboring Jasper County, about 23% of customers were without power.
Tornado hits Kankakee County, Illinois
A large tornado was reported in Kankakee County, Illinois, about 85 miles south of Chicago. The tornado appeared to have started near the Kankakee Fairgrounds and moved northeast, where it crossed the Kankakee River and into Aroma Park, where widespread damage was reported, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post.
Sheriff’s deputies and other emergency responders were patrolling the area checking for injuries and assessing the damage. The sheriff’s office urged area residents to “limit movement as much as possible due to damage to trees, power lines and roads.” It said the county’s 911 call center was “busy with emergency calls.”
Later in the evening, the sheriff’s office posted that there were no reports of injuries or deaths from the storm, denying social media rumors.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology report, observers reported seeing “significant damage” near Aroma Park, with the entire roof of a house ripped off and a 12-inch-tall tree uprooted. More than 7,000 electricity customers in Kankakee County (approximately 14% of the county) lost power.
Development status:
- A tornado was also reported in Wheatfield, Indiana. To the east, in Knox, Indiana, the National Weather Service issued a “tornado emergency” and announced that a “large and destructive tornado” was moving eastward at 30 mph over Knox.
- In Illinois, possible tornadoes were also reported in Hopkins Park and Pontiac. Damage was reported to a garage and dock near Pontiac, Illinois.
- A tornado was reported near Clyde, Texas, producing hail the size of baseballs.
- Flash flooding was reported in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A trained observer told the weather service that the entire stretch of road at Exit 76 of Interstate 196 was covered in 6 to 10 inches of water, stranding multiple vehicles.
huge hail stone
Alan Gerrard, a meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, which publishes the Balanced Weather Substack, said the storm was “bringing huge hail”, with reports of hail the size of grapefruit. “Very significant damage will be reported,” Gerard said.
Other reports included:
- In Kankakee, Illinois, storm trackers shared photos of 5.2-inch hail with the weather service.
- 4.5 inches of hail was reported near Campwood, Texas.
- Tornadoes larger than baseball-sized hail (3.5 inches) fell near Lake Waukomis, Missouri, and Aroma Park, Illinois.
- More than 3 inches of hail was reported near the Illinois campus, about 130 miles southwest of Chicago.
unseasonably warm
Temperature records were set in several locations throughout the day, heating the air and increasing the risk of severe weather.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the following records were achieved on March 10:
- The 80 degrees in New York City’s Central Park was the earliest 80 degrees on record, dating back to 1869. This beats the existing record set in 1990 by three days and beats the first 80-degree daily average by nearly six weeks.
- According to records dating back to 1926, Bangor, Maine, broke its record for high temperatures of 70 degrees by eight days.
- Additionally, sea surface temperatures are rising in the Gulf of America, formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico, further increasing sea surface temperatures and contributing to moisture available for storms.
Tornado Safety Tips
Tornadoes at night are the most dangerous. Here’s how to protect yourself.
- Please pay attention to local weather warnings.
- Protect yourself from flying and falling debris, the number one life-threatening hazard.
- Evacuate to the nearest safe place indoors or in the basement.
- Avoid windows. Do not go to the window or door and look outside.
- Cover your body with thick protective coverings such as mattresses, sleeping bags, thick blankets, and other protective coverings.
- Wear a helmet if you have one to protect your head from debris.
What should I do if I am in a building far from my home?
- Find a bathroom, storage room, or other indoor space without windows.
- Go to a small central room on the bottom floor, such as a bathroom, a closet, or an internal hallway. Indoor hallways and stairs are suitable evacuation areas.
- Cover yourself with thick pads, mattresses, and blankets.
- Squat as low as possible to the floor and turn your face downward.
- Cover your head with your hands or wear a helmet if you have one.
Dinah Boyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, writes about violent weather, climate change and other news. Contact dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or dinahvp.77 on X or Signal.
