(CHICAGO) An EF-1 tornado touched down in the north suburbs Sunday night, the National Weather Service confirmed Monday.
Based on radar reports, the tornado touched down in Round Lake at 8:35 p.m., NWS meteorologist Kevin Donofrio said. It then moved to the center of Grayslake by 8:42 p.m., and to the eastern part of the village at 8:45 p.m., he said.
A preliminary estimate of the tornado measured its peak wind speeds between 90 and 100 mph, giving it an EF-1 rating, according to the National Weather Service.
The tornado cut a path 7.5 miles long from Hainesville to Grayslake to Wildwood, with a maximum width of 300 yards, the weather service said. The tornado’s path was widest in Grayslake.
The home of state Sen. Melinda Bush of Grayslake was among those damaged in Grayslake, Round Lake, Hainesville, Wildwood and Gurnee, according to a statement from her office. She said officials are working to assess damage and get power restored.
“Across the county, neighbors are helping neighbors, cleaning up trees and debris,” Bush said in the statement. “We’re seeing a spirit of cooperation that will help piece together some of what was lost in this storm.”
Storms ripped through the Chicago area Sunday, cutting out power for thousands of ComEd customers and leaving a path of damage in the suburbs.
The severe weather began about 2:30 p.m., when a man was killed and more than a dozen injured in a tent collapse at a Wood Dale community fair; and a sports dome collapsed in Rosemont. NWS continued to issue severe weather warnings through the evening, all expiring by midnight.
In Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and DSS Commissioner Charles Williams toured storm damage Monday in hard-hit Rogers Park on the North Side.
More than 850 tree emergencies have been reported in Chicago as of Monday, according to a statement from city officials. More than 150 employees from the Department of Streets and Sanitation are beginning to move debris and clear roadways.
Eighteen crews from the city’s Department of Transportation are addressing downed light poles and street lights. Residents are asked to report downed trees and power lines by calling 911.
More than 120,000 ComEd customers across the area lost power during the peak of Sunday’s storms, according to a statement from the utility. Roughly 3,400 remain without power Monday evening, most in difficult to reach areas. About 650 crews were working to restore service.
Lollapalooza organizers bumped up the music schedule for the final day to try and squeeze in all the performers and avoid a second evacuation of the day. They ended up cutting the night short about half an hour due to approaching storms at 10 p.m., officials said.
In west suburban Elmhurst, a lightning strike may have started a house fire early Monday that caused about $11,000 in damage, fire officials said. No one was injured.
Forecasters said Monday morning the weather is expected to improve over the next few days, with temperatures in the low 80s and lower humidity.
