West Loop, South Side Tornadoes Among 11 Confirmed So Far From Monday's Storm

Science & Nature

West Loop, South Side Tornadoes Among 11 Confirmed So Far From Monday's Storm

Patty Wetli | July 17, 2024, 8:45 am

Tree damage in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood following strong storms, July 16, 2024. (Patty Wetli / WTTW News)

The National Weather Service has so far confirmed 11 tornadoes hit the Chicago region during Monday's powerful storm — including two within Chicago's city limits, once again disproving the myth that the city’s skyscrapers somehow make it immune to twisters.

Another six tornadoes have been confirmed from Sunday, as well, with two of them in Chicago.

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Here are the details on Monday's Chicago tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service:

— An EF-1 tornado — which have winds of 86 to 110 miles per hour — hit the Near West Side of Chicago extending into the West Loop.

A track map shows the twister following a line along I-290 beginning at roughly Sacramento Avenue on the west and moving east, jumping from the south to the north side of the Eisenhower Expressway near Ashland Avenue, crossing the Kennedy Expressway, and stopping just short of the Chicago River, roughly splitting the distance between Union Station and the Oglivie Transportation Center.

The tornado reached estimated peak winds of 95 miles per hour and traveled for three miles, according to the weather service.

— An EF-1 tornado, with estimated peak winds of 90 miles per hour, traveled for 3.2 miles starting at Marquette Park and heading east to Ogden Park at 64th Street and Racine Avenue.

EF-1 tornadoes can strip roofs, break windows, and overturn or badly damage mobile homes.

Two tornadoes struck the city’s South Side on Sunday, according to the weather service:

— An EF-0 tornado, with an estimated wind peak of 80 miles per hour, tore a path from Midway to Bronzeville that was 9.6 miles long and 300 yards wide.

— An EF-0 tornado ripped through a 3.6-mile path from Englewood to Jackson Park, also with an estimated wind peak of 80 miles per hour.

Tornadoes rated EF-0 reach wind speeds of 65 to 85 miles per hour and inflict “light” damage, capable of peeling the surface off some roofs, breaking branches off trees and pushing over shallow-rooted trees.

Think I saw the tornado at O’Hare in the distance. First tornado sighting & never expected it to be in Chicago! Praying everyone is alright #chicago #tornado pic.twitter.com/bUW6nbiqzb

— Ali Rose VanOverbeke (@xoxoalirose) July 16, 2024

Chicago's Department of Streets and Sanitation has logged more than 3,900 emergency calls regarding downed trees or fallen tree limbs. According to the department, its forestry crews have so far attended to more than 1,200 of those calls.

The weather service is still surveying more than a dozen additional locations for potential tornado damage.