Powerful EF-2 Tornado Strikes Long Creek with 120 MPH Winds

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LONG CREEK, Ill. (WCIA) — A fierce storm on Sunday night left a neighborhood in Macon County without electricity and forced many families from their homes. By Monday, efforts to clean up the aftermath were well underway.

According to Ed Shimon, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, teams were out on Monday conducting damage assessments.

He reported that the tornado that struck Long Creek was classified as an EF-2, with peak winds reaching up to 120 miles per hour. Part of their task was to evaluate and record the extent and seriousness of the damage caused.

The most significant damage observed from the weekend’s storm included homes with their roofs entirely torn off.

Shimon added that were able to classify this tornado as an EF- 2 based on seeing things like tree tops. When tree tops are shredded, Shimon said that it’s a clear indicator of a tornado — it wasn’t just wind blowing trees over, but a tornado that picked a tree up.

He also said they look to see if damage and debris are a significant distance from where a tornado touched down, which is the case in Long Creek. However, the damage surveys aren’t just about what happened in the past. It also helps them in the future.

“When we document the damage, and where it occurred, we can go back to the event and look at the radar information, and say, ‘Okay, what was showing on the radar? How can we get ahead of the game next time a little earlier than we did this time?’ These were the radar signatures that were precursor to what occurred in this particular location, and we can plot all that together, look at the meteorology, and everything, the damage, just make sure we can get a good picture of how to get ahead of this next time,” Shimon said.

When they’re gathering information, they’re also talking to the people impacted. He added that they’re able to remind people of the importance of having a weather radio and to be weather aware no matter the time of year.

Shimon wasn’t the only one going door to door and talking to people that were impacted.

Roofing companies were also busy. Cody Marler, one of J & M Roofing’s co-owners, said that his day started early.

He was driving around and letting people know they were available to help. They were able to make damaged roofs water tight, and they were doing it for free. While checking on one roof, he said that he couldn’t believe what he found.

“I thought it was going to be a small, couple of shingles blown off, and then I got up there, and over half of her roof was gone. So, I had to come down and let her know, I showed her a picture actually. I was like, ‘Here, this is what’s missing,’ and I was like, ‘Did you call insurance?’ She said, ‘Yeah,’ and I said, ‘What do you got?’ She said, ‘State Farm,’ and they were sitting across the street. So, I just went and talked to them,” Marler said.

He added that the homeowner had no clue the entire back half of her roof was gone.

Despite all the damage in Long Creek, no one was hurt.

WCIA reached out to the Macon County EMA to see how many people were displaced Sunday night and how many homes were determined a total loss, but did not immediately hear back.