EF2 tornado in Henry County, Illinois

This wide, multi-vortex EF2 tornado touched down west of Kewanee, where it damaged farm buildings and power poles. The tornado continued through the north side of Kewanee, where it primarily damaged trees and sheds. The tornado continued to the northeast of Kewanee with more significant tree and power pole damage. Estimated peak winds were near 120 mph.

A very strong system developed on the morning of March 31st and tracked across the state of Iowa. This system pulled unseasonably warm and moist air into the Midwest, which combined with a very favorable wind profile to create a volatile environment for severe thunderstorms. Discrete supercell thunderstorms occurred initially, but quickly transitioned into a QLCS mode. This system produced a historic tornado outbreak for the area, with a record 29 tornadoes on the day, including 13 rated EF-2, 1 rated EF-3, and 1 rated EF-4. This was the first EF-4 tornado in the NWS Quad Cities service area since 1995. 11 injuries were reported, with no known fatalities. In addition to the numerous tornadoes, there were many large hail and damaging wind reports. Maximum straight line thunderstorm winds were estimated at 80 to 90 mph.