Multiple tornadoes touched down in Illinois Wednesday, including in the suburbs of Chicago and near O’Hare International Airport, damaging properties and grounding planes.
The National Weather Service confirmed on Thursday morning via Twitter that there were several tornadoes Wednesday night between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
“Between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 12, multiple tornadoes tracked across Northeast Illinois, some in very close proximity to one another,” the National Weather Service tweet said. “These were spawned by rotating thunderstorms known as supercells.”
According to the tweet, the National Weather Service does not yet have an exact estimate of how many tornadoes touched down in Illinois. No injuries have been reported.
“We will determine the official count along with intensity ratings following damage surveys over the coming days,” it said.
As people recover from the storm and more information becomes available, here’s what we know right now about the tornadoes.
Where did tornadoes touch down?
Multiple tornadoes were reported across the Chicagoland area Wednesday, including near the towns of Elgin, Campton Hills, and Arlington Heights, according to a map provided by the National Weather Service.
Other approximate damage and survey areas include areas near Oswego, Huntley, Carol Stream and Hodgkins, among others.
The National Weather Service also confirmed a tornado touched down near O’Hare International Airport, located less than 20 miles from Chicago, on Wednesday via Twitter.
Over 100 flights were cancelled and more than 500 were delayed due to the storm, according to The Associated Press. Neither O’Hare International Airport nor Chicago’s Midway International Airport reported damage from the storm.
Cook County was also hit by a tornado Wednesday night, The National Weather Service tweeted around 6:30 p.m. CT that there was a confirmed tornado in the area.
In April, storms rocked parts of the Midwest, causing extensive damage across multiple states. A tornado touched down near Springfield, Illinois and a storm caused the roof of a theater to collapse in Belvedere.
The USA TODAY tornado archive recorded 50 accounts of tornadoes on March 31 in the state of Illinois, with the most severe coming in as an EF3 tornado.
Tornadoes in Illinois this year:Tornado touches down north of Springfield, damaging homes, businesses
What does the forecast look like for today?
As of Thursday morning, the weather in the Chicagoland area looks clear of storms throughout the day, but there is potential for thunderstorms Thursday night into Friday and the rest of the weekend.
“Some storms could be strong and produce heavy rainfall and gusty winds,” the National Weather Service said in a tweet containing the forecast for Thursday.
What do I do if there’s a tornado in my area?
If there is a tornado watch in your area, it means that the current weather conditions could produce a tornado in or near the area. The National Weather Service recommends having an emergency plan in place, checking that you have supplies in case of a tornado, and being prepared to act quickly.
In the case of a tornado warning, you should take action immediately as a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar in your area. The National Weather Service recommends moving into an interior room that is on the lowest floor of a building, such as a basement and avoiding windows.
If you find yourself in a mobile home, vehicle or outdoors during a tornado, quickly move to the closest substantial shelter and “protect yourself from flying debris.”
More recent tornado news:Tornado touches down in western Michigan as severe storms sweep across state
Kate Perez covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kperez@gannett.com or on Twitter @katecperez_.
