Four tornadoes tore through Illinois, NW Indiana leaving 2 dead

Four tornadoes tore through Illinois, Indiana during severe storms, NWS says

The National Weather Service said at least four tornadoes may have touched down across parts of Illinois and Indiana during severe storms that moved through the Chicago area on Tuesday.

CHICAGO - Two people were killed after at least four tornadoes touched down across parts of Illinois and Indiana during severe storms that moved through the Chicago area on Tuesday.

Tornadoes hit Illinois, Indiana

What we know:

Forecasters said the tornadoes were likely produced by the same supercell thunderstorm that tracked from near Pontiac, Illinois, through Kankakee County and into northwest Indiana before continuing toward Knox, Indiana. Suspected tornado touchdowns were reported near Pontiac, south of Kankakee, and in the communities of Lake Village and Wheatfield in Indiana.

Two people were killed by a tornado in Newton County and several others were "very injured," officials announced during a press conference Wednesday morning. Indiana State Police said their identities will not be released until their families have been notified.

Another tornado touched down in Kankakee about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and was on the ground on the north side of Hopkins Park, according to the National Weather Service.

Timelapse captures large rotating wall cloud over Pontiac, Illinois

WATCH: Dramatic timelapse footage shows a large rotating wall cloud forming over Pontiac, Illinois earlier today.  Credit: Nate's Dronography via Storyful

The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office said the tornado touched down south of Kankakee near the Kankakee Fairgrounds and continued northeast, crossing the Kankakee River into Aroma Park.

Extensive damage was reported in Aroma Park, and there were reports of minor injuries, authorities said. No deaths have been reported.

Residents and motorists are urged to limit travel because of downed power lines, trees and other debris.

Thousands of residents were hit with power outages in Kankakee and parts of northwest Indiana.

The county’s 911 center was overwhelmed with emergency calls, according to the sheriff’s office. 

The National Weather Service plans to send three storm survey teams into the field Wednesday to assess damage and confirm the tornadoes. Crews will focus on Kankakee County in Illinois, as well as Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana.

Region pelted by hail

Dig deeper:

Meteorologists said the same storm system also produced destructive hail across parts of the region.

The supercell responsible for the tornadoes dropped hail ranging from 2 to 4 inches in diameter along a path stretching from Pontiac to the Illinois-Indiana state line. A trained storm spotter in Kankakee reported a hailstone measuring 6 inches in diameter, which could become a new Illinois state record if it is officially verified.

Large hail pummels Chicago's western suburbs during storms

Parts of Chicago's western suburbs were hit with large hail, some of which was up to the size of a baseball.

A second supercell storm produced large hail from Bolingbrook to Darien, with stones measuring between 3 and 4 inches in diameter. The largest reported hailstone from that storm measured 4.8 inches in Darien.

The National Weather Service said it is continuing to collect data and will provide additional updates as damage surveys and hail reports are verified.