Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jun 11
Rare Tornado Emergency Hits Streator as Large Twister Moves East at 25 mph
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jun 11

Rare Tornado Emergency Hits Streator as Large Twister Moves East at 25 mph

3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jun 11

Summary

  • Illinois State Police reported major structural damage on Streator’s south side after the National Weather Service confirmed a large, extremely dangerous tornado near the city Thursday evening.
  • Radar showed debris signatures in La Salle County and reports of baseball-sized hail, while multiple tornadoes were reported in Chicago’s far west and southwest suburbs as the storm line intensified.
  • A tornado warning remained in effect for Kankakee County until 6:45 p.m., with severe thunderstorm warnings stretching across several northern Illinois counties and a tornado watch covering the entire Chicago area until 9 p.m.
  • The Chicago area had been upgraded to a Level 4 of 5 severe-weather risk, with forecasters warning the setup could support violent EF-4 or EF-5 tornadoes between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
  • The outbreak hit a region already recovering from Wednesday storms that knocked out power to nearly 200,000 customers, and it also forced a ground stop at O’Hare until 7:15 p.m.

Insights

Can Chicago's aging infrastructure withstand the next direct hit as violent storms become the new normal?
Are new radar technologies being deployed fast enough to cover Chicago's deadly tornado blind spots?
After hundreds lost power, is burying power lines a viable solution to protect Chicago's economy from future superstorms?