As families work to rebuild their lives after tornadoes touched down in the Chicago area and northwest Indiana on Tuesday, questions over whether the federal government will help out will likely be a focal point down the road.

In Kankakee, hail 3 to 5 inches in diameter fell, with one hailstone measuring at 6 inches and possibly setting an Illinois record for the largest hailstone, according to the National Weather Service.

Alerts have been issued across portions of the four states as parts of the U.S. contend with severe weather threats.

Based on the debris left behind in Aroma, Park, the tornado in Kankakee County Tuesday night was large and destructive. This is how we can tell, and the science behind why it happened.