The National Weather Service says two of the reported tornadoes that tore through Bloomington last Friday night were in fact one continuous twister.
The weather service has updated its assessment of last weekend's storms after further assessing the damage.
The Bloomington tornado was rated an EF1 with wind speeds of up to 110 mph. The tornado's path topped over 20 miles, from southwest Bloomington to east of Lexington.
NWS said the tornado developed just south of Fox Creek Road between Interstate 55 and Veterans Parkway and continued past Highland Golf Course, Bloomington Country Club and into several neighborhoods east of Veterans Parkway, where it damaged an unspecified number of homes. It snapped two power poles on G.E. Road, before pushing into eastern McLean County where it dissipated after breaking a utility pole about two miles northeast of Pleasant Hill.
One tornado tracked through Normal, from near the Rivian plant in west Normal to Towanda, about 10 miles to the northeast.
The tornadoes caused substantial damage, leaving public works crews in Bloomington and Normal scrambling to collect tree limbs and other debris. No serious injuries or deaths were reported.
According to the NWS, Bloomington-Normal had not experienced a tornado since 2006.
Another tornado touched down about 2.5 miles east of Funks Grove and tracked 34 miles northeast, where it passed through Downs and Ellsworth, before dissipating just short of the McLean County line southeast of Anchor.
There were seven confirmed tornadoes that touched at least a portion of McLean County during last Friday's storms.
The strongest, rated an EF2 in far northwestern McLean County, tracked for two miles west of Danvers. Its wind speeds were estimated at 115 mph. It touched down about a half mile west of the McLean-Woodford county line, where it tossed a grain bin several hundred yards, snapped seven power poles and caused damage to several outbuildings, according to the weather service.
The McLean County Emergency Management Agency is collecting damage reports to submit to the state in hopes of getting emergency assistance.
Bloomington, Normal and McLean County issued a joint emergency declaration on Saturday.
