MT. VERNON/FAIRFIELD (WMIX) – The National Weather Service has declared Thursday night’s storms caused tornado touchdowns north of Mt. Vernon and northeast of Fairfield.

According to the National Weather Service in Paducah, an EF-1 tornado with peak wind speeds of 90 miles per hour struck an area two miles north of Mt. Vernon at 7:32 p.m. Thursday. The tornado stayed on the ground for a half mile and spread a maximum width of 150 yards.

The tornado uprooted a few large trees before seriously damaging two metal buildings at South Central Transit on Route 37 North. Most of the roofs of the buildings were torn off, their garage bay doors blown out and exterior walls ripped off. 

Flying debris damaged many buses inside the buildings at the time,

According to NWS, a microburst with estimated peak winds of 85 miles per hour caused damage along the east side of the tornado track and spread debris eastward while snapping several trees and removing roofing material from a home on North Loop Lane.

Another EF-1 tornado was confirmed four miles northeast of Fairfield and remained on the ground from 8:11 to 8:15 p.m. Thursday. That tornado had a maximum wind speed of 90 miles per hour, with a path 2.8 miles long. Its maximum width was 75 yards. 

That tornado snapped numerous trees and damaged the roof of a home near the start of the damage path. An anchored mobile home was lifted and partially tipped causing major damage and leaving it uninhabitable. 

Other damage was reported from the Wayne County tornado.

The weather service also reported widespread storm damage along the Interstate 64 corridor across southern Illinois, with damage reported to the Assembly Hall roof at Nashville High School.

No injuries were reported in any of those areas.