Strong storms bring tornado warnings, wind damage to Chicago area
CHICAGO (CBS) — A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Newton, Jasper, Lake, and Porter counties in Indiana until 1:15 a.m. as storms move through the Chicago area.
A tornado warning was issued briefly for downtown Chicago and other central areas late Sunday night as a round of dangerous storms pounded their way through the area—taking down trees and leaving floods in the process.
The tornado warning had been scheduled to run until 11 p.m., but was dropped by 10:50 p.m. It stretched a relatively short distance—north to Old Town, west to Lawndale, and south through Bridgeport, Back of the Yards, and the South Loop and Bronzeville.
There were no reports of confirmed tornadoes in the city—but the rotation signature of the storm was strong enough to warrant a warning. However, there were widespread reports of wind damage as a result of the storm.
In Naperville, residents woke up to flooded roads that impacted drivers overnight. Heavy rainfall led to rising river levels in the Naperville area.
CBS News Chicago photographer Alfredo Roman spotted branches in the street at 16th and Halsted streets Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago, while Irika Sargent reported large trees down in Lincoln Park.
As seen in photos, trees of a diameter of up to 16 inches snapped and landed on cars.
Multiple trees were uprooted from strong winds, and were knocked over in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. Also, CTA train cars on the L tipped over on their side, also likely from the wind.
At 69th and Prairie, another tree was blown over, blocking part of the sidewalk and the street near an autobody shop. The storm basically cut a large tree in half, knocking it into a house on South Prairie Avenue.
On the Stevenson Expressway at Pulaski Road on the Southwest Side, cars were submerged in water.
This tornado warning follows several others that have been called as the storms came through. Earlier, a likely tornado was on the ground just after 9:30 p.m. just northwest of Elburn, near Meredith and Beith roads, as reported by law enforcement.
Earlier, a funnel cloud was spotted on the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway near the Belvidere Oasis.
A tornado warning was also called after midnight for LaSalle and Livingston counties but was dropped at 12:30 a.m.
Severe thunderstorm warnings came county by county as the storm system pounded its way through. Severe weather was on its way out of the city of Chicago by 11:25 p.m., but a severe thunderstorm warning remained in effect into the wee hours Sunday for Northwest Indiana and counties south and southwest of Chicago.
The storm system brought 60 mph wind gusts and pea-sized hail earlier.
A flash flood warning was in effect until 1:30 a.m. for southeastern Cook, southern DuPage, and northwestern Will counties. A flood watch was in effect in the area until 4 a.m. Monday.
Parts of far northern Illinois already experienced widespread flash flooding on Saturday night, and additional heavy rain will likely cause rapid water rises and the potential for renewed significant flash flooding.
Conditions for Monday will be steamy and stormy, especially late into the night. Dangerous heat will build through the day, with highs in the middle 90s and a heat index of 100 to 106 degrees.
The Storm Prediction Center has the area at a level 3 for Monday's storm threat. This is an even higher risk than what had been anticipated for Sunday night.
Forecast:
MONDAY: Extreme heat with highs in the middle 90s. Heat index 100-106 degrees.
TUESDAY: Scattered storms. HIGH: 86