The Storm Prediction Center Rated The Greater Chicago Area At Moderate Risk; Fourth Of Five Levels As Two Successive Waves Of Supercell Thunderstorms Brought All Severe Weather Hazards Simultaneously: Tornadoes, Destructive Winds Up To 45mph, And Large Hail, With The Worst Window Between 4 And 8 PM CDT
According to The New York Times, CBS Chicago, NBC Chicago and the National Weather Service Chicago, the Chicago area was pounded by severe storms for hours on Thursday afternoon and evening, with multiple reports of tornado damage stretching from the southwest suburbs to northwest Indiana.
As of late Thursday night, at least 10 reports have been made in Illinois, in Low Point, Ancona, Ransom and Reddick; three reports of a tornado in Streator; and two reports in Dwight. Tornado damage was also reported in Merrillville, Indiana, from a large tornado also sighted near Kouts and Hebron. A tornado touchdown was also reported in Union Grove, Wisconsin.
A Tornado Watch was in effect from 1:55 PM to 9:00 PM CDT, with the Storm Prediction Center rating much of the Chicago area at moderate risk; the fourth of five severity levels. NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said: “The second one is the one I’m most concerned about,” referring to the second wave of storms expected to begin around 4 PM with a peak tornado threat continuing until 8 PM.
Thursday’s storms followed a destructive first wave Wednesday night that downed trees across Chicago, leaving nearly 75,000 ComEd customers without power as of early Thursday morning, with South Side neighbourhoods including Mount Greenwood, South Shore, West Pullman, Beverly, and Chatham among the hardest hit.
The Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation received 5,272 tree emergency requests due to Wednesday’s storm. National Weather Service crews were scheduled to survey damage on Friday and assign official EF ratings.
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