On the evening of March 10, 2026, a powerful and wide-reaching severe weather outbreak swept through the nation’s heartland, leaving a trail of destruction across nearly two dozen states. The epicenter of the chaos was around Kankakee, Illinois, and Newton County, Indiana, where both a tornado and giant hail battered communities, shattered property, and left thousands without power. As the night wore on, the threat only intensified, with meteorologists warning that this could be the most widespread and dangerous severe weather event so far this year.
According to AccuWeather, the first signs of trouble appeared in the afternoon, as towering cumulus clouds began to organize over northern Illinois. Extreme Meteorologist Dr. Reed Timmer, reporting live near Bloomington, Illinois, described the atmosphere as primed for disaster: “You can start to see these towering cumulus begin to organize and bubble over top of my head right now. There is extreme instability along and to the south of this warm frontal zone across northern Illinois. This tornado event is about to begin.”
By late afternoon, the first tornado of the day likely touched down about 80 miles southeast of Chicago, near Pontiac, Illinois. Storm Chaser Aaron Jayjack captured footage of the tornado in progress, marking the beginning of what would become a night of relentless storms. As the system expanded, major metropolitan areas including Chicago, Dallas, St. Louis, and Indianapolis were placed on high alert, with the National Weather Service (NWS) issuing severe weather watches and warnings across nearly 24 states.
In the Chicago area, the day began with foggy conditions and falling temperatures north of Interstate 80, while areas south basked in unseasonably warm temperatures near 70 degrees, as reported by ABC7 Chicago. The highest risk for severe weather was forecast from 4 p.m. through midnight, with tornado watches issued for Grundy, Kankakee, LaSalle, and Livingston counties in Illinois, and Jasper and Newton counties in Indiana, effective until 11 p.m.
As evening fell, the storms intensified dramatically. Kankakee County, Illinois, took a direct hit from a large tornado seen near the fairgrounds around 6:19 p.m. CDT. According to Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office officials, wires were down throughout the county, and about 7,000 customers were left without power. Sheriff Mike Downey issued a statement urging residents, “I want to remind area residents to check on their neighbors and loved ones but to avoid unnecessary travel. Storm damage, debris and downed power lines/trees have created hazardous conditions on our roadways.” The 911 dispatch center was overwhelmed with calls, highlighting the severity and suddenness of the event.
The situation grew even more dire as the NWS Northern Indiana issued a rare tornado emergency for Knox, Indiana, after a tornado was spotted moving east toward populated areas. A tornado emergency is the highest level of tornado alert, indicating that widespread damage and fatalities are expected and that immediate shelter is necessary. Newton County, Indiana, was also hit hard, with multiple homes destroyed in Lake Village after a tornado made a direct strike. First responders worked through the night, asking people to stay away from the area as they navigated debris and assessed the damage. Remarkably, as of late Tuesday night, no injuries or fatalities had been reported in Kankakee County, though the threat was far from over.
Hail was another major hazard. Storm chaser Tony Laubach reported from Campus, Illinois, where he measured hailstones as large as baseballs. Holding up a massive chunk of ice, he remarked, “We’re talking tennis ball to baseball-size in diameter. This is just a sampling of what this storm produced.” Hail of this size is more than a curiosity—it can shatter car windshields, damage roofs, and injure anyone caught outdoors. There were also reports of hail as large as three inches near Darien, Illinois, about 25 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. In Texas, a tornado touched down east of Potosi, accompanied by baseball-sized hail south of Abilene.
Power outages quickly mounted as the storms raged on. By nightfall, more than 16,000 customers were without electricity in Indiana and Illinois. The threat of severe thunderstorms, including damaging winds of up to 70 mph and hail potentially approaching grapefruit size, continued to escalate. The NWS issued Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) tornado warnings for parts of Kankakee, Newton, Lake, and Jasper counties, underscoring the exceptional risk posed by these storms.
The National Weather Service in Dallas warned that severe thunderstorms would develop in the South during the early afternoon and intensify through the evening, with the main tornado risk for areas south of I-80. Areas along and south of I-80 were placed under a Level 4 risk for severe weather, with the probability of a tornado increased to 15%. Most of Chicago and its south and southwest suburbs were under a Level 3 risk, while the north and northwest suburbs faced a Level 2 threat. A Flood Watch was in effect until 3 a.m. on March 11 for Cook, DuPage, Will, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, and LaSalle counties, highlighting the risk of flash flooding from torrential rain.
AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski explained the gravity of the outbreak: “Within this zone are two high-risk areas where numerous severe thunderstorms are likely: one across portions of Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, and another over central Texas.” This was the first time since August that AccuWeather had issued a high risk, level 3 out of 4, for severe weather.
Nighttime tornadoes, like those that swept through Illinois and Indiana on March 10, are especially deadly. A 2022 study published in Weather, Climate, and Society found that nocturnal tornadoes are nearly twice as likely to result in fatalities compared to those that occur during daylight hours, with the danger increasing after midnight. The overnight risk underscored the importance of having multiple ways to receive weather alerts, especially while sleeping. Experts urged people in the storm’s path to keep their phones fully charged, have backup batteries ready, and ensure they could receive emergency notifications.
For those facing the storms, safety tips were widely shared: get indoors when thunder roars, seek shelter in an enclosed building or car if necessary, avoid water and metal structures, and always check the forecast before venturing outside. With power outages a real possibility, families were advised to have enough supplies for at least 72 hours, including non-perishable food, bottled water, and extra batteries for flashlights and radios.
As the severe weather outbreak continued into the early hours of March 11, the full extent of the damage was still being assessed. Emergency declarations were filed, roads were blocked by debris, and communities braced for more storms. The events of March 10, 2026, served as a stark reminder of the power and unpredictability of nature, and the critical importance of preparation, vigilance, and community support in the face of disaster.