LENA — The tornado that ripped through the heart of this Illinois border town of 2,800 last Friday, April 17, was likely a formidable EF2 on the strength scale, the National Weather Service (NWS) has determined. The twister was plenty strong enough to terrorize the community and school children locked down and huddled against forces raging right outside — only to be carefully reunited with their parents when it was finally over.
Skeptical students quickly found out “this was not a drill” last Friday afternoon, officials said a news conference held in downtown Lena Monday morning as heavy equipment rumbled outside under now sunny skies, eliminating lingering debris from the powerful storm.
The press conference provided a clearer picture of how local agencies responded that night, and what is available to help residents recover in the storm’s wake. They said in addition to cleanup of the mess and rebuilding what was destroyed, residents may need mental health assistance to cope with the experience, which can generate symptoms that are consistent with PTSD.
“Once the (tornado) warning was issued by the National Weather Service, we sheltered in place,” said Scott Townsend, director of emergency management for Stephenson County.
The storm was part of a massive system that gained energy as it roared across the upper Midwest, creating a setup that had two strong bands of storms occurring within a short window. Radar-indicated rotation was the first hint of trouble, and then the debris started to fly and show up on radar screens, with sirens screaming and residents urged to get into a basement or another safer place.
With its top winds hitting 130 mph, the tornado touched down in Stephenson County just after 3:30 p.m., endured 23 minutes; and traveled 8.5 miles, according to a weather service summary. NWS forecasters also reported that the tornado, which may have had multiple vortexes along its journey, started as an EF1 along U.S. Hwy 20 outside town. The NWS at Chicago later confirmed at least six tornadoes in the area during the storm outbreak, which had no shortage of fuel from an abundance of unstable air and contrasting temperatures at the surface.
From there, the twister made its way northwest to the McConnell area before disappearing back into the dark clouds and spray. Crucially during its tour of Lena, it missed the ethanol plant and most of the otherwise quiet neighborhoods full of wood-frame houses. Thus, a spirit of gratitude permeated the Monday press briefing, as it was emphasized repeatedly that no one was killed or seriously injured, despite the town taking a direct hit. The only reported injury, officials added, was a single asthma attack unrelated to the storm.
“No one in the community is going through this alone,” said Lena Fire Chief Brad Strong. “It’s been a long week…Lena is strong and we will get through this together.”
Sheriff Steve Stovall also spoke Monday, thanking first responders for their quick thinking and ability to coordinate and keep students and families safe. He marveled at the number of people who dropped everything to assist without anyone asking.
“I think everybody in Lena has a skid loader,” said Stovall.
The town was closed at one point as multiple emergency response agencies coordinated their efforts around the school area and other damage zones. Help was offered in the form of manpower and equipment almost immediately from neighboring counties, officials said, noting that emergency personnel worked long hours and overtime to help.
The Lena twister led many of the national newscasts over the weekend. “Buildings and schools were damaged by the severe weather, and debris blocked multiple roads in the area,” read a national report on The Weather Channel. “Thankfully, despite all the damage, no deaths were reported.”
The force of the twister, which was rain-wrapped periodically, could be seen impacting downtown Lena from a live web camera there, as the storm is seen rolling up aluminum roofs like foil, and turning a spring day into the darkest of night, debris hurling in every direction. Images of the storm and the damage it left was all over social media, along with stunning footage of another tornado from the same outbreak that hit near Roscoe — also along the state line north of the Rockford area.
Townsend advised impacted residents to get in touch with their insurance companies and report property damage to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency as soon as possible. Counseling will be available to students who need it, according to Lena-Winslow School Superintendent Tom Chiles, adding that the school would remain closed again Tuesday, but that the goal is to provide students with a “sense of normalcy” as soon as possible.
The Foundation for Northwest Illinois has set up the Lena Strong Community Fund, for those interested in helping. Donations of food, water and other necessities have kept the town moving and are no longer needed officials said, amazed at both the speed and volume of donations that poured in when the rain finally stopped.
About 9,000 homes were without power following the storm, mostly in the Stockton and Lena areas.
Green County in Wisconsin fared better, only getting pelted with hail, heavy rain and strong winds. Janesville and central Rock County also appeared to have a tornado hit — from the same cell that produced the Lena twister.
In all, there were 150 tornado warnings and 327 severe thunderstorm warnings that Friday, stretching from northern Texas up to Ashland, Wis. along Lake Superior. There were 109 radar-indicated tornadoes and 37 confirmed that night.
Wisconsin averages 25 tornadoes each year, with 23 already confirmed in 2026, most of which in the southeastern quadrant of the state. So far, Illinois has had 98 tornado warnings through April 18, the most in the country. Wisconsin has had 77 tornado warnings, good enough for second. Missouri (65), Iowa (61), Oklahoma (61), Louisiana (61) and Mississippi (48) round out the top-5 states.