Just before the noon hour, severe thunderstorms began forming west of downtown Chicago. The first storm started to spawn killer tornadoes in DeKalb and then Kane Counties starting at 12:00 p.m. CST. Upon touching down, the tornadoes then moved northeast at about . The tornado in Kane County apparently first formed about southeast of La Fox and moved northeast, later passing directly through downtown Elgin. Initially, the tornado destroyed a farmhouse and numerous barns, killing a father and tossing about a baby as it touched down.