Multiple tornadoes devastated communities in Indiana and Illinois on February 20, 2026
A violent tornado created a six-mile path of destruction in southeastern Illinois
Another tornado destroyed a bank and damaged numerous structures in Bloomington, Indiana
The storms were part of a massive 1,000-mile winter weather system affecting multiple states
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Destructive storms swept through the Midwest on February 20, 2026, spawning tornadoes that devastated communities in Indiana and Illinois as part of a massive winter weather system stretching 1,000 miles from Ohio to Nebraska. A violent tornado ripped through southeastern Illinois, shredding homes and overturning cars along a six-mile path of destruction. The powerful storm destroyed at least a dozen buildings, mangled mobile homes, and left one woman trapped until rescue crews could reach her. The twister then crossed into Indiana, where another powerful tornado struck Bloomington, home to approximately 80,000 people. The Bloomington tornado toppled trees and power lines, peeled roofs off buildings, and destroyed a bank in a normally busy shopping district, causing the bank's roof to cave in and its facade to be shredded. The severe weather was part of an extensive winter system that affected a 1,000-mile stretch from Ohio to Nebraska, bringing nearly a foot of snow and whiteout conditions to Omaha. Dangerous road conditions were reported across multiple states. On Friday, the National Weather Service issued wind advisories for parts of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio, warning that gusty winds would blow around unsecured objects, potentially down tree limbs and causing power outages. Indianapolis residents faced westerly winds frequently gusting up to 45 mph, with the strongest gusts expected in the morning hours.
Illinois ( IL-ih-NOY) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash and Ohio rivers to its south. Of the fifty U.S. states, Illinois has the fifth-largest gross domestic product (GDP), the si...
The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland, the American Midwest, middle America, or, datedly, the Middle West) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It was officiall...
A tornado, also known as a twister, is a rapidly rotating column of air that extends vertically from the surface of the Earth to the base of a cumulonimbus or cumulus cloud. Tornadoes are often (but not always) visible in the form of a condensation funnel originating from the cloud base, with a clou...
Disturbed state of an astronomical body's atmosphere
A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere of an astronomical body. It may be marked by significant disruptions to normal conditions such as strong wind, tornadoes, hail, thunder and lightning (a thunderstorm), heavy precipitation (snowstorm, rainstorm), heavy freezi...
Indiana ( IN-dee-AN-ə) is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the south and southeast, and the Wabash River and Illinois to the west. Nicknamed "the Ho...
CBS Mornings Tornadoes hit Indiana, Illinois as destructive storms blast through parts of Midwest By Tom Hanson , Tom Hanson National Investigative Correspondent, CBS News and Stations Tom Hanson is a national investigative correspondent for CBS News and Stations. His in-depth reports air across all platforms and programs. He is a member of CBS News and Stations Medical, Health, and Wellness Unit. Read Full Bio Tom Hanson , Sarah Lynch Baldwin Sarah Lynch Baldwin Deputy Managing Editor Sarah Lynch Baldwin is a deputy managing editor of CBSNews.com. She helps lead national and breaking news coverage and shapes editorial workflows. Read Full Bio Sarah Lynch Baldwin February 20, 2026 / 7:14 AM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Destructive storms blasting through parts of the Midwest spawned tornadoes that hit Indiana and Illinois, as near-hurricane force winds swept parts of the region. A violent tornado ripped through southeastern Illinois on Thursday, shredding homes, overturning cars and leaving a trail of destruction that stretched at least six miles long. At least a dozen buildings were destroyed. Powerful wind mangled mobile homes and flipped them upside down. One woman was trapped inside until rescue crews could reach her. That same twister then barreled across the Indiana state line. Another powerful tornado ripped through Bloomington, Indiana, on Thursday, as severe thunderstorms and 70 mile per hour wind gusts hammered the city that's home to around 80,000 people. It toppled trees and power lines, peeled roofs off of buildings and destroyed a bank in a normally-busy shopping district. Parts of the bank's roof caved in and the facade was shredded. The twisters were part of a massive winter weather system that sprawled 1,000 miles across the country from Ohio to Nebraska, where it brought nearly a foot of snow and whiteout conditions to Omaha. Conditions were dangerous on the roads across the state. On Friday, a wind advisory from the National Weather Servi...
