Overnight storms caused damage across the metro-east Tuesday night and into Wednesday with the worst of the problems along Interstate 64 in the eastern part of the area.

The National Weather Service has confirmed an F1 tornado touched down near Okawville, which resulted in winds reaching 100 mph.

The tornado left a path of destruction in the Okawville area: a metal barn was destroyed, a home under construction was knocked down, a couple of semi trucks were blown over on the interstate and trees and large limbs were brought down on homes and across roadways. The driver of one of the semi trucks blown over had minor injuries.

Okawville Police Chief Steve Millikin told the media that his town has had near misses when it comes to tornadoes in the past.

"We've been fortunate we got missed," Millikin said of past storms. But he said the tornado this time only delivered a glancing blow as the worst of the storm went through a less densely populated rural area. "From what I'd seen coming at us and what the dash cam captured off my car, had it come through town it would have been a lot worse."

At Scott Air Force Base in Belleville 1.81 inches of rain fell by the Tuesday night and during Wednesday morning storms, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Fred Glass. In Edwardsville, 1.72 inches of rain were reported.

"We got quite a bit more rain as you head east into Clinton County," Glass said. "In Breese, Salem and Nashville they got anywhere from 3 to 5 inches."

Other news from the storms:

* Reports of up to tennis ball-sized hail along the Interstate 64 corridor that smashed windows in cars. Hail was also reported in Aviston, Centralia, Glen Carbon, Mascoutah, New Baden, Trenton and at Scott Air Force Base.

* A house fire at 1745 St. Andrews in Shiloh that is believed to have been caused by a lightning strike.

* Owners of the Kalmer Lumber and Pallet company in Albers blame a lightning strike as the cause of a fire that did serious damage to that business. A production building with heavy machinery inside burned.

Contact reporter Scott Wuerz at swuerz@bnd.com or call 239-2626.