ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI — The storm line that meteorologists had been watching closely across the Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio corridor broke through the atmospheric cap late Wednesday night, regenerating into a severe weather event that produced confirmed tornado damage and left thousands without power.
A tornado tore through Coles County, Illinois, touching down around 7:15 p.m. and leaving a trail of downed trees, snapped power lines, and roof damage across the area. The Charleston Walmart sustained structural damage, and local school officials canceled summer programs for the following day as crews began assessing the destruction.
The storm system did not weaken as it crossed into neighboring areas. Winds reaching 60 miles per hour combined with tennis-ball-sized hail battered central Illinois, knocking out power for thousands of residents overnight. Emergency crews worked through the night responding to downed lines and blocked roads as the line of storms pushed southeast…