The National Weather Service has confirmed 13 tornadoes in the Chicago area, plus four others in northwest Indiana Thursday night.
Preliminary information shows the most powerful of the bunch were EF-3s that hit Streator, Illinois and Hebron, Indiana.
The longest twister was 33 miles - stretching from Graymont to Dwight - which is between Bloomington and Kankakee.
In Bartlett, the weather service says an EF-1 with winds as high as 100 mph knocked down several trees and tore up a gas station.
The NWS has tracked 44 tornadoes so far this year - the third highest since they began recording in 1950.
Despite the property damage, there are no reports of deaths or life-threatening injuries.
