NWS Confirms F1 Tornado Touched Down In Manhattan

MANHATTAN, IL - A report from the National Weather Service confirmed that two tornadoes were formed in southern Will County on Tuesday. It was an F1 tornado that touched down in Manhattan, resulting in damage to several buildings including the Post Office. Wind speeds were reported as reaching 95 miles per hour.

Manhattan Mayor James Doyle said in a video shared below that the storm that went through Manhattan "moved through town in 3 minutes." And while it did some damage, no injuries were reported and major property damage was avoided.

"Property can be fixed, trees can be replaced, people can't," he said.

MANHATTAN TORNADO: Roof Blows Off Post Office, Trees And Wires Down Throughout Town

For Manhattan residents, the most significant change the storm caused comes with their mail service. The roof of the Post Office at 135 S. State St. blew off during the tornado.

While the State Street Post Office will be closed as a result, local mail service will be relocated to Joliet.

Work crews were out in the town on Wednesday cleaning up downed trees and power lines as well as assessing damage. Doyle thanked the first responders who arrived from multiple nearby jurisdictions, specifically mentioning South Chicago Heights Police Chief Bill Joyce for his help.

Another tornado was confirmed in nearby Wilton Center on Tuesday, according to the NWS. A third in the Chicagoland area touched down briefly in Kane County.

Photo: National Weather Service