On February 27, 2023, severe weather swept through parts of Illinois, including DuPage County and Champaign County. The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings for several areas, and there were reports of tornado touchdowns.
In DuPage County, the Naperville Fire Department reported damage to homes and power lines in the area. The city of Naperville put out a statement telling people to stay inside and not drive if they can help it. There were also reports of damage in Woodridge and Darien.
In Champaign County, students and staff at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign were told to take shelter right away. The National Weather Service reported a tornado on the ground near the town of Sidney.
No injuries or deaths were reported right away, but officials told people to stay alert and take safety measures. The severe weather was part of a larger system affecting the Midwest, with tornado warnings issued in several other states, including Indiana and Kentucky.
The National Weather Service tells people in affected areas to stay inside, stay away from windows, and find shelter in a basement or an interior room on the lowest level of a building.