Tornadoes race through Chicago area as severe storms slam Illinois

CHICAGO — A line of severe storms with embedded tornadoes raced through northern Illinois, including the Chicagoland area, on Monday evening. The storms also produced hurricane-force wind gusts as the nocturnal tornadoes tracked through Chicago.

Numerous tornadoes were reported across northern Illinois and the Chicago suburbs. Forecasters said they were tracking more than a dozen warnings at a time as the storms raced across the region. 

A line of severe storms continues to barrel across the Midwest, triggering numerous Severe Thunderstorm Warnings within its path. 

Storms are packing hurricane-force winds as they move across the Midwest. Wind gusts of 70-90 mph were felt across northern Illinois, with a report of a 100 mph wind gust at Chicago O’Hare.

Throughout the late evening hours, numerous Tornado Warnings were issued across northern Illinois, including downtown Chicago. 

Tornado Warning issued for Chicago

The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for Cook County, which included downtown Chicago, around 9:15 p.m. The tornado-warned storm had a history of producing radar-indicated tornadoes as it sped across the suburbs. 

As the tornado-warned storm advanced eastward, a tornado was spotted at Chicago O’Hare Airport, and the NWS Chicago said power flashes were seen at Chicago Midway Airport due to a possible tornado.

The SPC placed nearly 11 million people across southern Wisconsin, eastern Iowa and northern Illinois, including Chicago, in a Level 4 out of 5 risk on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale. 

A wider area across the Midwest was also under the threat of severe weather, including more than 40 million people.  

Tornado sirens wail in Chicago as severe weather sweeps across Midwest on Sunday

The severe weather threat comes after a destructive weekend of storms from the Plains to the Upper Midwest, with numerous reports of severe weather, including a video that showed a tornado spinning across a field in Barney, North Dakota, with wind gusts as strong as a Category 2 hurricane in South Dakota, softball-sized hail in Montana and major damage to buildings south of Chicago.

A video recorded Sunday night shows ominous storm clouds approaching the city while tornado sirens could be heard wailing in the background.

According to a report from FOX 32 Chicago, damage was reported in several communities after the severe weather Sunday night, including a roof that was blown off a home in Maple Park and several trees and large branches that were knocked down in Chicago.

Earlier in the day, a powerful thunderstorm tore across the city of Joliet to the south of Chicago, leaving extensive damage behind.

Thousands of people were left without power after the storm, and officials say damage was reported at the Rock and Roll Museum in town. In addition, the roof of a building there was torn off and landed in the middle of a road.

On Saturday, heavy rain led to flooding in Rockford, Illinois, which turned fatal after a passenger in a pickup truck became trapped and drowned. 

Over the weekend, the severe weather also produced a tornado in Barney, North Dakota. A video recorded there shows the tornado spinning across a field and kicking up dirt and debris into the air.