Confirmed tornadoes touched down near Harpers Ferry, Iowa and in Charleston, Illinois on Wednesday evening, prompting a particularly dangerous weather warning. Charleston declared a local state of emergency as damage and road blockages were reported, while tho
Wednesday night brought the kind of storm that leaves communities counting seconds they can’t get back.
In northeastern Iowa, the National Weather Service confirmed a tornado near the small community of Harpers Ferry at 5:10 p.m. About an hour and a half later, another confirmed tornado tore through Charleston in central Illinois around 6:40 p.m. local time.
Both tornadoes occurred under a rare federal designation: the National Weather Service said the conditions were a “particularly dangerous situation,” reserved for environments where “strong and violent tornadoes” are possible.
In Charleston, damage was visible almost immediately. Photos and videos obtained by CBS News showed extensive destruction, including downed trees and power lines. Hail measured 2.75 inches was also reported in the Charleston area, according to the weather service.
Charleston police said in a Facebook post that “a large number of trees [are] blocking roadways throughout Charleston at this time.” The department urged residents: “Unless it is an absolute emergency, do not drive or attempt to go anywhere.”
Later, the city of Charleston declared a local state of emergency as crews assessed impacts across the area.
Farther west. a cell phone video captured what appeared to be a large tornado moving through Effingham. Illinois. roughly 40 miles southwest of Charleston. Larry Thies. coordinator for the Effingham Emergency Management Agency. said initial information pointed to damaged buildings and trailers. along with downed power lines and trees. He added that officials were working to set up an emergency operations center. but faced challenges because internet was down in the area.
The full scale of damage across the region remained unclear, and there was no immediate word on injuries or fatalities. CBS News senior meteorologist Rob Marciano said there were at least seven reported tornadoes during the weather event.
Power outages were another immediate pressure point. PowerOutage.us reported at least 55,000 customers without electricity in Illinois.
The severity wasn’t limited to where the tornadoes touched down. Earlier Wednesday, Marciano reported that more than 125 million Americans were facing severe weather advisories. That included Gulf Coast states, which were under flood alerts due to Tropical Storm Arthur.
Marciano also described why the ingredients coming together were so unusual for June. “This is unique for June. this is unusual to have such a strong jet stream just screaming across the country. then you’ve got the summertime tropical moisture coming in…and then some cold air coming in. ” he said on “CBS Evening News.” He pointed to winds shifting direction at different levels as a key driver of storm “spin. ” adding that the setup created a high chance of not only tornadoes but intense ones—EF2 strength or higher—for a prolonged period. He also warned of damaging winds of 75 mph or higher and “big time hail.”.
As crews continue assessments and residents navigate blocked roads and outages, Wednesday’s storms have left Midwest communities in a familiar but no less jarring cycle: first the warning, then the impact, and finally the long work of recovery.
tornadoes Illinois Iowa National Weather Service Charleston Illinois Harpers Ferry Iowa severe weather PowerOutage.us emergency management hail 2.75 inches