Science & Nature
At Least 11 Tornadoes Confirmed by National Weather Service Following Tuesday’s Severe Storms
File photo. (Jplenio / Pixabay)
The National Weather Service confirmed late Wednesday afternoon that at least 11 tornadoes touched down during the severe storms that ripped through northern Illinois Tuesday night.
The majority of locations were in Illinois, including three in suburban Cook County, and one was in northwest Indiana. All were rated either EF-0 or EF-1. EF-0 tornadoes have sustained wind speeds of 65 to 85 miles per hour, while EF-1 have speeds of 86 to 100 miles per hour.
The weather service said additional information would be forthcoming on path length, path width and estimated peak wind speeds.
The locations:
- Compton Tornado (Lee County): EF-0
- Waterman Tornado (DeKalb County): EF-0
- Hinckley to Big Rock Tornado (DeKalb/Kane County): EF-0
- Sugar Grove to Batavia Tornado (Kane County): EF-1
- Elburn to Campton Hills Tornado (Kane County): EF-0
- Geneva Tornado (Kane County): EF-1
- Gary Tornado (Lake County, Indiana): EF-1
- South Barrington Tornado (Cook County): EF-0
- Inverness Tornado (Cook County): EF-1
- Mundelein Tornado (Lake County, Illinois): EF-1
- Hoffman Estates Tornado (Cook County): EF-0
The tornadoes were spawned by a powerful cold front that also delivered large hail and thunderstorms.
(National Weather Service Chicago)
Hail ranged from pea-sized to golf balls.
Hail in Tinley Park pic.twitter.com/OeM5G8shdM
— EmeraldFresh LivingInc (@Jammindave80) February 28, 2024
The lightning show was the big story for many people. Photographer Barry Butler captured this spectacular strike.
Two Fer Tuesday! The Hancock and Sears Tower struck at 8:06pm this evening. #lightning #storm #ilwx #weather #news #chicago pic.twitter.com/KLzAJYxKQ1
— Barry Butler Photography (@barrybutler9) February 28, 2024
It was a wild end to a day that saw Chicago just miss out on setting a record-high temperature for February. Though the high of 74 degrees didn’t beat the current record of 75 degrees, the day’s low of 52 degrees did set a record as the warmest minimum temperature.
Though temperatures cratered with the cold front, February 2024 will go down as the warmest in more than 150 years of record keeping, according to the weather service. March is shaping up as more of the same, with the forecast calling for weekend temperatures in the 60s and possibly 70s.
Contact Patty Wetli: @pattywetli | (773) 509-5623 | [email protected]
