Social Media

National Weather Service Confirms Tornado Touched Down in Waukegan, Beach Park

The possible tornado was reported at approximately 6:40 p.m. Tuesday evening

The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touched down on the north side of Waukegan and in Beach Park Tuesday evening.

According to the weather service, the tornado was anywhere from an EF-0 to an EF-1, but the exact strength was still being determined. 

No Tornado Warning was issued and no sirens went off in the area as the situation developed rapidly, NWS officials said. 

No Tornado Warning was issued and no sirens went off in the area as the situation developed rapidly, NWS officials said. NBC 5’s Chris Hush reports.

According to a storm report, a path of wind damage was reported to the weather service at approximately 6:40 p.m. Tuesday near South Beach Park in Lake County. The damage, reported on the far north side of Waukegan, started at the park and travelled all the way to Lake Michigan.

The weather service reported that a very narrow damage path occurred in a two-mile path to Lake Michigan. 

Reports of minor damage to commercial buildings, a car that was flipped over, and tree damage in the Lyon Woods Forest Preserve were disseminated by the NWS.

"I thought it was just a car accident," resident Randy Osborne said of the flipped over car. "It was over (so fast)." 

One injury was reported as a result of the possible tornado. 

NBC 5 viewer Ramon Pérez sent in a video of the possible tornado: 

 Video courtesy of Ramon Pérez. 

"It literally lifted me six to eight inches off the ground," resident Joe Zradicka said. 

Zradicka said that a tree beside his Waukegan shop came crashing down during the storm, just missing his wife's car. 

Video of a possible funnel cloud was posted on social media by several area residents, including Waukegan’s Ramon Pérez. Other videos posted to Twitter show the tornado after it had departed land and moved onto Lake Michigan.

Contact Us