May 22, 2011 Tornado Event

Rensselaer, IN

The tornado touched down just north of Wood Road and south of West Amsler Road, and crossed U.S. Highway 231 (north McKinley Ave). The tornado was rated EF1 with roof damage to the Farm Bureau Insurance building (photos unavailable) at 2570 North McKinley Avenue as well as soffit, fascia and window damage to the Purdue Agricultural Extension office just to the west.  The EF1 damage was confined to a path length of approximately 100 yards with weaker EF0 damage over the remainder of the track.  The tornado lifted as it moved across highway 231. The maximum width of this tornado was 20 to 33 yards.

EF-1 Tornado and debris approaching Highway 231.  Image courtesy of Joann Skinner.

Damage to the west side of the Purdue Agricultural Extension Office.

Soffit damage to the west side of the Purdue Agricultural Extension Office.

Debris strewn across a field just to the east of Highway 231 as the tornado dissipated.

Polo, IL

The tornado touched down just south of unincorporated Polo, just south of the intersection of Union Road and Judson Rd. A power pole on the east side of Union Road was blown, leaning over the road toward the west. At this point the tornado was rated low end EF1 with winds estimated at 85-90 mph.

The tornado widened slightly as it progressed to the east along Judson road, and uprooted a 20 inch diameter fir tree. At this point the tornado was still at  EF1 strength, and there were branches down. The tornado then moved east and its width widened to its maximum 200 yards. There was roof damage to sheet metal roofing on 4 buildings and a wood outbuilding that was left leaning over by the tornado. In this area several 2X4’s were speared into the ground from different directions and insulation was plastered on the east and northeast face of buildings.

Another property just to the northeast of this point experienced six 16 inch diameter Norway Spruce trees snapped off, and a new wood power pole was snapped in half. It was here where the tornado reached its maximum intensity with winds at 100 mph.  The tornado continued to the east maintaining its intensity (EF1 strength) another ¼ mile to the east where a grain bin was ripped off its foundation and a portion of the roof blown off to the north up against a fence. After this the winds weakened as the tornado lifted. A couple of additional grain bins were blown over, small branches snapped off, and shingles blown off roofs. Winds were estimated at 70-80 mph. The tornado lifted at 10506 Judson Road at Bailey Rd.

Along Judson Road southeast of Polo -- Small hardwood limbs snapped; large softwood tree uprooted (in background to the left, mostly cleaned up and removed).  Debris was strewn a couple hundred yards to the east into the neighboring property.

Adeline Tornado and Winnebago County Tornadoes - Revised

ADELINE TORNADO

WINNEBAGO COUNTY TORNADO #1 - LATHAM PARK

WINNEBAGO COUNTY TORNADO #2 - ROCKTON

Rockford, IL

A fairly wide swath (up to 5 miles wide) of sporadic wind damage was observed across the west and northwest sides of Rockford and adjacent parts of rural Winnebago County. See map above.  Preliminary survey results indicated all of this damage was due to straight line winds. However additional surveying supported the idea that some of the more intense damage likely was caused by tornadoes, as described above. 

Debris all across this area were observed to have been blown from southwest to northeast. Other than to the fire station and middle school, no structural damage was observed except where trees fell on houses. Winds were estimated to have been 50 to 70 mph across the wide swath of damage area, with a few concentrated areas of winds as high as 90-100 mph, equivalent to EF1 strength.  

Stillman Valley, IL 

A brief tornado took out a dual wood truss electrical transmission line tower, tore off the gable and part of the roof of a house, peeled sofit and shingles from a couple other houses, and knocked down trees and limbs. Truck trailers were also overturned.