On Aug 10, 2020, Chicago residents experienced tornado-like weather. The following day, the National Weather Service confirmed beliefs about the storm being a tornado. In fact, according to the National Weather Service, this was Chicago’s first tornado in more than a decade.
Thousands of residents do not have utilities. ComEd says they have over 385,000 costumers without power. Restoring services will take several days.
Rogers Park residents reported severe storm damage. Videos of swirling debris and darkened skies quickly began circulating. Chicago’s National Weather Service saw these videos. Along with several other factors, they were able to confirm the storm’s behavior signified that it was a tornado. News helicopters showed roof damage. Some residents reported a fire.
Additionally, Jarvis Square residents also sightings of fallen trees and a light pole. The fallen light pole led to a fire. Broken tree branches and other debris sparked the fire. This caused residents to panic, though, firefighters were able to extinguish the fire.
Overwhelming Calls
Moreover, Alderman Maria Hadden mentioned the overwhelming number of calls her office received. Almost all of the calls were residents’ difficulty calling 911, 311, and utilities like ComEd. Out of the 3,700 Rogers Park without power, only 900 households’ have had their tilities restored.
Though there were extreme weather advisories sent to northern Chicago neighborhoods, some residents still were not prepared. Forecasts reported 70-mile-per-hour winds and harsh rain. In addition to forecasts, Northside residents received tornado warnings. Residents will have to practice patience as officials deal with storm damage and outages.
Go to ComEd on Facebook for updates.
Written by Reginae Echols
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Block Club Chicago: Possible Tornado Sighting Reported In Rogers Park As Debris Circles In The Air
Featured Image Courtesy of Pascal Collet’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Dan Vel’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
