A powerful line of thunderstorms ripped through the Chicago region Saturday night, with wind gusts topping 80 miles per hour.
The strongest wind, a gust of 81 mph, was recorded in Rockford, according to the National Weather Service. Sites in DuPage, Kane and McHenry counties all reported gusts of 70 mph, and Chicago saw gusts of 66 mph at O’Hare Airport and 61 mph at the Harrison Crib in Lake Michigan.
Bursts of lightning lit up the sky and storm spotters across the region sent in reports of downed tree limbs, dime-sized hail and even a semi-truck blown over on the highway.
The night’s wild weather followed a near picture-perfect spring Saturday that saw temperatures in the Chicago region reach 70 degrees — 69 degrees officially at O’Hare, and 71 degrees at Midway Airport.
The summer-like conditions were fleeting, though. Winter is mounting a comeback Sunday, with snow accumulations of an inch or more likely in northern parts of the metro area.
It's been a wild & windy last 12 or so hours! Here's a quick summary of last night's storms, which produced multiple 70+ mph wind gusts. More info here: https://t.co/5IjGnKC9fB
Did you see any wind damage? Let us know what you saw & where (photos are always appreciated). Thanks! pic.twitter.com/RhYNUCUNRU
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 6, 2022
Ten lightning strikes over Chicago last night taken from 34 minutes of video. #ilwx pic.twitter.com/GnNt0jfuVY
— Craig Shimala (@cshimala) March 6, 2022
After winds subside today, wintry precipitation in the form of snow & freezing drizzle will make a return to the area tonight, along with rain. Snow accumulations up to a few inches are possible with the highest totals expected near the Illinois-Wisconsin state line. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/RVDlNJIQwM
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 6, 2022
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]