Storms that spawned multiple tornadoes hit Iowa, Illinois (including Chicago) and Indiana on Monday, downing trees and power poles and knocking out power to about 193,735 customers and businesses. A woman died in Indiana after a tree fell on a home, authorities said.
The 44-year-old woman died Monday night in Cedar Lake, Indiana, the Lake County coroner’s office said.
After Monday night’s storm, Metra informed riders that Tuesday morning service could be modified or reduced. They advised riders to check metra.com for updates. A CTA spokesperson said service was operating normally Tuesday, after brief delays Monday night due to signal issues caused by the weather.
According to flight tracking service FlightAware, 78 flights were canceled and 114 delayed Tuesday morning at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. At Midway, four flights were canceled and 41 delayed.
Tornadoes have been reported, but high winds in Iowa, Illinois and Indiana are the main concern, said Roger Edwards, chief forecaster for the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center. Wind gusts have been reported, ranging from 75 to 90 mph, and a 101 mph wind gust was reported in Ogle County, Illinois, Edwards said.
Cedar Lake woman dies after storm knocks tree onto her home
The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado hit Des Moines, Iowa, as thunderstorms continued Monday afternoon and through the night. Des Moines police responded to calls about power poles that apparently snapped in two.
The storms then moved eastward into northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, where multiple tornado warnings, wind and torrential rain were issued. Several tornadoes were reported along the line of storms that passed through the city, according to the National Weather Service, which planned to monitor a number of areas following those reports.
According to poweroutage.us, nearly 390,000 customers were left without power in northern Illinois alone.
“There are multiple reports of downed power lines throughout the city due to tonight’s storm,” the Joliet, Illinois, Police Department said Monday night. “Many roads are partially or completely blocked by trees or tree limbs.” The city is about 35 miles (56 kilometers) southwest of Chicago.
The National Weather Service in Chicago had to take shelter for a time and later reported extensive damage across the city. The agency reported winds of up to 75 mph in the area.
A flash flood warning was also issued for the Chicago area through early Tuesday. No major damage was reported as of Tuesday morning.
Tornado warnings have been issued for parts of northern Illinois and Col counties.
