At least seven tornadoes struck Illinois and Northwest Indiana recently, as reported by the National Weather Service. These included a particularly severe EF3 tornado that impacted Kouts. Merrillville experienced an EF2 tornado, and St. John saw an EF0. Other affected areas included Streator, Illinois with an EF3 tornado, and Graymont to Dwight and Bartlett, both hit by an EF1.

Storm clouds displaying rotation moved over the Bramblewood subdivision in St. John, Indiana on June 11, 2026. This marks the second occurrence of such strong tornadoes in three months; a previous EF3 tornado affected Lake Village in March.

An EF3 tornado has wind speeds between 136 to 165 mph. These wind speeds are estimated based on ground damage. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates tornadoes from 0 to 5, with EF0 starting at 65 mph and EF5 exceeding 200 mph. Leanne Blind-Doskocil, a staff meteorologist and adjunct faculty member at Valparaiso University, explained that most tornadoes, about 77%, are rated EF1 or lower, and 95% are below EF3 intensity, making tornadoes of this strength uncommon.

The National Weather Service noted that the ratings for Thursday’s tornadoes are preliminary. Additional surveys and analysis will occur in the coming days, especially in southern Lake County and areas south of the Kankakee River.

NIPSCO reported 29,148 customers were without power as of early Saturday afternoon, reduced from a peak of 86,640. Estimated power restoration times are outlined for various communities, including midnight Saturday for Hammond and Crown Point, 11 p.m. Sunday for Plymouth, 11:59 p.m. Monday for several cities, and 6 p.m. Tuesday for Gary, Goshen, and Merrillville. Customers can report outages via text, the NIPSCO website, or its mobile app.

The Pleasant Township Trustee’s Office stated that First Presbyterian Church in Kouts is collecting donations for those impacted. Donations can be made from Sunday to Wednesday at specified times. Needed items include gas cards, bottled water, hygiene and cleaning products.

Residents of Lake and Porter County are encouraged to report storm damage to the Indiana 211 website. This helps the Indiana Department of Homeland Security estimate damages and decide on recovery actions.

Damaged trees and debris at Andrean High School, June 12, 2026, after a tornado hit Merrillville the day before. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Andrean High School suffered significant damage. Officials thanked the community for support via Facebook and confirmed ongoing insurance and contractor assessments. They assured continued updates on the school’s status and encouraged donations through the school’s website.

Merrillville officials suggested seeking help from the American Red Cross or Ross Township Trustee’s Office for those needing assistance. The Red Cross also established a 700-bed shelter at the Lincoln Center in Highland and accepts donations of essential items at Ross Township Trustee’s Office.

The Salvation Army handed out supplies, while local businesses provided meals to those affected. Volunteers from Hy-Vee also distributed meals and supplies. Humane Indiana offered pet care support for those impacted by the storms.