22 tornadoes confirmed in Illinois over weekend

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Dozens of people are dead across nine states and dozens have been hospitalized after a tornado outbreak moved across the U.S. on Friday and Saturday, according to local officials.

In Illinois, 22 tornadoes have been confirmed. Four people died from those storms, including a man who was killed after a roof collapsed during a concert at a historic theater.

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ABC7 Meteorologist Greg Dutra took a closer look at the tornado activity. He spoke with Dr. Trent Ford, a state climatologist, who called the tornado outbreak "severe."

"April tends to be one of the more frequent months for tornadoes. On average, we get about eight to nine in the state of Illinois," Ford said. "So, getting 20 to 25 tornadoes in a single day, even by April standards is severe."

Dutra said it is too early to determine whether the outbreak is related to climate change, but experts are paying close attention to studies that implicate a relationship between a warmer climate and shifts in severe weather.