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Public Information Statement
National Weather Service Chicago IL
631 PM CST Tue Feb 28 2023 /731 PM EST Tue Feb 28 2023/

...NWS Storm Survey for 2/27/2023 Tornado Event Update #1...

Thunderstorms and rotating showers spawned multiple tornadoes in
northern and central Illinois during the morning of February 27th.
In the NWS Chicago forecast area, a preliminary total of 3 have 
been confirmed thus far. The three confirmed tornadoes include an
EF-U tornado in rural southeast Ford County in east-central
Illinois and two EF-0 tornadoes that occurred in the Chicago metro:
one on the far west side of Joliet and another on the north side of
Naperville.

This updated Public Information Statement includes updated
information on the Joliet, IL tornado, which had its track and
duration extended and its maximum width enlarged, as well as the
new findings of a storm survey in Benton County, IN, where damage
was determined to have been caused by straight-line winds of up to
70 mph.

We thank our local Emergency Management Agencies, broadcast
partners, and trained storm spotters for their reports that were
used to help in determining these tornadoes.


.Clarence EF-U Tornado...

Rating:                 EF-U
Estimated Peak Wind:    Unknown
Path Length /statute/:  Approximately 1.5 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   Unknown
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             2/27/2023
Start Time:             09:15 AM CST
Start Location:         2 SW Clarence / Ford County / IL
Start Lat/Lon:          40.4400, -88.0000

End Date:               2/27/2023
End Time:               09:17 AM CST
End Location:           0.5 SW Clarence / Ford County / IL
End Lat/Lon:            40.4576, -87.9793

Eyewitness accounts and photos and videos relayed to the National
Weather Service indicate that a tornado touched down roughly two
miles southwest of Clarence in Ford County, IL and tracked
northeast for about 1-2 miles before lifting. The tornado did not
cause any known damage, and thus, has been assigned the EF-Unknown
(EF-U) rating.


.Joliet EF-0 Tornado...

Rating:                 EF-0
Estimated Peak Wind:    85 mph
Path Length /statute/:  2.2 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   100 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             2/27/2023
Start Time:             09:41 AM CST
Start Location:         9 WNW Joliet / Kendall County / IL
Start Lat/Lon:          41.5501, -88.2636

End Date:               2/27/2023
End Time:               09:44 AM CST
End Location:           9 NW Joliet / Will County / IL
End Lat/Lon:            41.5767, -88.2402

An EF-0 tornado with estimated peak winds of 85 mph moved through
portions of far western Joliet, starting in Kendall County and
ending in Will County. The tornado downed several trees and fences
and caused generally light roof damage to multiple houses. A house
also sustained damage after a trampoline was blown into it and
several pieces of the trampoline impaled its siding.


.Naperville EF-0 Tornado...

Rating:                 EF-0
Estimated Peak Wind:    80 mph
Path Length /statute/:  1.4 miles
Path Width /maximum/:   30 yards
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Start Date:             2/27/2023
Start Time:             09:52 AM CST
Start Location:         1 N Naperville / DuPage County / IL
Start Lat/Lon:          41.7839, -88.1619

End Date:               2/27/2023
End Time:               09:54 AM CST
End Location:           2 N Naperville / DuPage County / IL
End Lat/Lon:            41.8038, -88.1539

An EF-0 tornado with estimated peak winds of 80 mph touched down
near Naperville North High School in Naperville and tracked north
for approximately 1.4 miles. A preliminary assessment indicates
that this tornado ended near Interstate-88 between Mill St and 
Washington St, with video evidence showing a funnel cloud
continuing for at least 1 mile farther north over Herrick Lake
Forest Preserve.


.Benton County Straight-Line Winds...
Estimated Peak Wind:    70 mph
Fatalities:             0
Injuries:               0

Photos from south of Fowler, IN shared by the Benton County
Emergency Management Agency show debris from a small outbuilding
and a chicken coop blown out into nearby fields, as well as damage
to the roof of a barn and a downed softwood tree. Drone footage
later shared by the Benton County EMA confirms that this damage
exhibited a diffluent pattern. Spotter accounts indicate that no
condensation funnels were evident in this area, which supports the
conclusion that this damage was caused by straight-line winds of
up to 70 mph.

&&

EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the
following categories:

EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph

When a tornado is known to have occurred but does not cause damage
to any qualified damage indicators, or if the only damage is
located in an area that is inaccessible to NWS storm survey
personnel, then a tornado may be assigned the EF-Unknown (EF-U)
rating.

NOTE:
The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to
change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS
Storm Data.

$$

NWS Chicago