01-04-2025
‘You never expect to see a building completely destroyed': NWS confirms Sunday tornado in Tolono
TOLONO, Ill. (WCIA) — The National Weather Service (NWS) was in Champaign County on Monday morning surveying damage after severe weather over the weekend. Thousands of people were without power, and some were hurt in car crashes on multiple interstates.
In Tolono, a shed at Illinois Foundation Seeds collapsed after high winds and rain came through on Sunday afternoon. Ed Shimon, a NWS meteorologist, assessed the damage and worked with a team of experts, to later determine an EF-1 tornado caused some of the destruction.
'The software will give me an idea of what wind speeds were needed to cause this level of damage,' Shimon explained.
The tornado had 90-mile-per-hour winds and destroyed the building just north of town off of Route 45.
Severe weather preparedness: Champaign-based septic company offering storm shelters
'You never expect to see a building completely destroyed. It is devastating to this area,' he added.
From one part of the county to another, Chris Heater is thinking back to Sunday's severe weather too. When sirens went off, he was driving an MTD bus near Champaign's Marketplace Mall.
'I would say within 60 seconds of the sirens and the alert, we were getting a call from control telling us which buses to shelter in which location,' he said.
He and his 15 passengers got inside safely, and luckily for those on board, he storm chases in his free time.
'I was told by someone on Facebook that was on my bus that they definitely appreciated me saying that because it made them feel way more comfortable,' Heater said.
WCIA 3 Severe Weather Center
Now, he's gearing up for the potential of more severe systems throughout the spring, while Shimon is sending a message of awareness for others across the state.
'This is an indication of what the winds can do, and they don't have to be spinning in a tornado, tornadic circulation to cause this kind of damage,' Shimon said. 'Be prepared, severe thunderstorm warnings can mean your building can get damaged.'
He also communicated with Champaign County's Emergency Management Agency to determine other locations to look at. He went to a few other locations throughout Tolono and along the tornado's path.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
