While National Weather Service officials Thursday did not have an exact number of how many tornadoes blew through Chicago and the surrounding areas Wednesday evening, officials warned of high waves and dangerous currents at Lake Michigan beaches.
A beach hazard was issued Thursday warning of 6 foot waves and dangerous currents until 10 a.m., urging swimmers to stay out of the water.
Wednesday between 5 to 7 p.m., officials said multiple tornadoes tracked across parts of northeast Illinois, some in proximity to one another, spawned by rotating thunderstorms known as “supercells,” officials said.
[ Tornado confirmed near O’Hare as evening storms spark tornado warnings in Cook, DuPage ]
Officials said Thursday it will take a few days to confirm how many tornadoes touched down as officials were working to access the damage to determine the strength and number of twisters.
At least one tornado was confirmed as having touched down near O’Hare International Airport, according to the National Weather Service. The severe weather briefly grounded all flights at O’Hare and Midway airports, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Damage in Elgin also was reported.
Earlier this week, residents were bracing for possible flooding in the area from heavy rains. Some western suburbs like the town of Cicero experienced flooding at homes and businesses, as well as other places in Chicago.
In Burr Ridge, the public works department was busy conducting clean up operations to restore its southern community.
Clean-up operations are focusing on the hardest hit areas between County Line Road and Wolff roads from 71st to 79th streets. Limb and branch collections will happen continuously Thursday and Friday in the area, officials said.
A final brush pick up will be conducted Monday, July 17, at 8 a.m. Officials ask residents to place all brush on the parkway parallel to the curb. Please stack branches neatly, keeping a 3-foot distance from trees and fire hydrants, officials asked.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation Tuesday for several Illinois counties, including Cook County, due to recent weather events.
Officials said there is a chance of continued thunderstorms Thursday for portions of north central and northeast Illinois, and northwest Indiana.
Current conditions at Chicago’s airports are overcast at 64 degrees. A high of 76 was expected.
Severe weather also rocked the Chicago area in 1995. The temperature hit 106 degrees and would hover between the high 90s and low triple digits for the next five days. On a single day — July 15 — the number of heat-related deaths reached its highest daily tally of 215; refrigerated trucks were summoned to handle the overflow of corpses.