EF-2 tornado struck Lena, Illinois with peak winds around 130 mph, NWS confirms

NBC Chicago reports that an EF-2 tornado with peak winds around 130 mph struck Lena, Illinois on Friday afternoon (3:32–3:55 p.m.), traveling an 8.5-mile path with a maximum width of 750 yards, causing extensive damage including three homes with blown-off roofs and two partial collapses, though no injuries or deaths were reported. The article is sourced from National Weather Service survey data and official statements from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, with specifics on timing, wind speed, damage locations, and path metrics that reflect solid local news reporting; a bylined author is visible in the metadata. Independent search results corroborate the EF-2 rating, Lena's location (48 miles west of Rockford), and the broader context that at least seven confirmed tornadoes touched down across Illinois on Friday, with CBS Chicago and NBC Chicago providing consistent reporting on the damage and recovery efforts. Critical readers should monitor ongoing damage assessments, the final official NWS report, and whether the broader outbreak of Illinois tornadoes (the state ranked first in the U.S. for severe weather this year) prompts policy discussions around early warning systems or seasonal preparedness.