Powerful storms knocked down trees and caused damage along Spring Creek Road on Friday, March 31, 2023, in Rockford. (Photo provided by Neil Bloom of Future Memory Media)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The city is bracing itself for another round of severe storms in the region as residents still pick up the pieces from powerful winds and tornadoes that struck four days ago.

The National Weather Service says destructive hail and tornadoes are possible Tuesday and Wednesday in the Rockford region. The weather service said its uncertain if storms will develop, but if they do “all modes of severe weather would be possible.”

“While the atmosphere will be supportive of severe storms, the presence of a layer of warm air aloft, known as a cap, may prevent storms from developing in our area altogether,” the National Weather Service wrote.

Storm coverage: Poplar Grove farm struck by tornado, causing an estimated $1 million in damages

The city is preparing an emergency plan that includes its police, fire and public works departments to respond if another severe storm strikes the area.

“We’re really monitoring what’s going to take place over the next 24 to 36 hours,” Mayor Tom McNamara said.

Tree Care Enterprises works to remove a tree from the roof of a house on Highland Avenue on Monday, April 3, 2023, in Rockford. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Rockford Fire Chief Michele Pankow told City Council members Monday night that the emergency operations center is prepared to activate again if storms materialize.

That center helps mobilize response to the hardest-hit areas. Pankow said the city received 444 calls for service after the storm on Friday, the majority in the central part of the city.

“It was a very quick storm,” she said. “It came through and it was here and gone very quickly.”

This map shows where the majority of calls for service came in to the Rockford Fire Department after the severe storms on Friday, March 31, 2023. (Image via city of Rockford government)

The storm left about 6,800 without power in the city of Rockford. Nearly all had been restored by late Monday night, McNamara said.

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Pankow said part of their emergency planning includes notifying organizations hosting large special events. For example, she said the fire department contacted the BMO Center on Friday because the IceHogs had a home game.

“The BMO has a very robust emergency response plan, and they were able to get all of the occupants in the BMO to designated locations that were either the sublevel or within some of the corridors that they have on the lower level,” Pankow said.

The National Weather Service has now confirmed 18 tornadoes that moved through northern Illinois and northwest Indiana on Friday night. That’s two additional confirmations from a day ago.

The tornadoes include an EF-1 in Machesney Park, a tornado that has not yet been rated in Poplar Grove and the EF-1 tornado that struck The Apollo Theatre in downtown Belvidere, where one person was killed and 48 others were injured.

The National Weather Service says severe weather is possible again Tuesday evening, and then more potential for tornadoes and hail happens from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday morning.


This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas

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