EF1 tornado in Bureau County, Illinois

A tornado developed north of Atkinson, in Henry County, and tracked northeast towards Hooppole, then tracking more easterly for another mile where it ended in western Bureau County. The tornado crossed into Bureau County about a third of a mile north of Highway 23, on 00 E St, then lifted about one mile to the E/NE. The tornado was rated EF-2 in Henry County, and EF-1 in Bureau County.

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.