Residents of Belvidere, Illinois, have shared photos and videos showing storm damage across the city. The visuals reveal downed trees, scattered debris, and power outages in multiple neighborhoods.
Some residents described the conditions as if a tornado had touched down, although the National Weather Service (NWS) has not confirmed any tornado activity. No tornado sirens were reported during the storm.
A local resident reported:
“We hope everybody was able to stay safe in what appears to be a tornado that hit Belvidere. Currently, our whole block is without power due to a downed line. We have no timetable on when/if the power will be back on tonight. We will keep you all updated here but as of right now we are going to be closed hopefully just for the evening. You all stay safe and have a great night!”
Severe Thunderstorm Watch in Effect
Severe Thunderstorm Watch 596 is active until 7 PM CDT Saturday for the following areas:
Illinois – 11 Counties
North Central Illinois: Boone, DeKalb, Ogle, Winnebago
Northeast Illinois: Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake (IL), McHenry, Will
Indiana – 2 Counties
Northwest Indiana: Lake (IN), Porter
Included Cities:
Algonquin, Aurora, Belvidere, Bolingbrook, Buffalo Grove, Byron, Carol Stream, Chesterton, Chicago, Crystal Lake, DeKalb, Downers Grove, Elgin, Evanston, Gary, Gurnee, Hammond, Joliet, Lemont, Lombard, McHenry, Merrillville, Mundelein, Naperville, Oak Lawn, Oregon, Orland Park, Oswego, Park Forest, Plano, Portage, Rochelle, Rockford, Schaumburg, Sycamore, Valparaiso, Waukegan, Wheaton, Wilmington, Woodstock, Yorkville
Social Media Reactions
Residents took to social media to share their experiences during the storm:
Spooky storms moving through Bolingbrook, IL #ilwx pic.twitter.com/PYHxVVK4Ks
— Ryan Scholl (@WxScholl) August 16, 2025
Tree damage in Cary Illinois from storms. #ilwx pic.twitter.com/CyANOQy1aL
— Bob Waszak (@nilwxreports) August 16, 2025
Golf ball sized hail in Naperville #ilwx #hail #naperville pic.twitter.com/GNb4LXzzoO
— Bulldog Baggins (@BulldogBaggins) August 16, 2025