Wheaton Tornado (Chicago, Rockford, Oak Lawn: high school, live, bus)

[HOWELL_STREET]

Dear Friends:

On August 23, Wheaton had 90 mph winds that some identify as an 'F-1' tornado. Around 15:15, I had been watching a video in my oldest son's bedroom. The winds picked up along with rain until we had devistation that I have only witnessed once before. The high school girl of our next door neighbor had been on the school bus at that instant and actually saw the funnel cloud. So I have been 'off' as Howell_Street for about one week. We are the last to get our power back.
So my point here, is that nobody ever knows when severe weather is going to hit. I have lived in Wheaton, IL since 1966 and have only experienced one other tornado - - about the same 'F-1' rating - - that ocurred around 1972.
Even an 'F-1' is quite scary if you have to go through it. Just think of some of the big ones with about 250 MPH wind? In truth, I don't know the exact wind speeds associated with the 'F' tornado measurement system. So now I am back for more fun in trying to answer your questions about the Chicago area.

Best Regards,

Carter Glass

[NYrules]

Anytime an IDIOT says "tornados can't hit the Chicago area because of the lake or because its so built up" I just want to hit them. To anyone doubting this FACT, take a look at this link. Photos of the Oak Lawn Tornado | Oak Lawn Tornado ALSO CHECK THIS OUT Pictures from the 1967 Oak Lawn Tornado Tornados DO hit Chicago. Its not a matter of "if" its a matter of when. Be prepared!!! Have a plan! Don't panic!

[HOWELL_STREET]

Dear Friend:

Thank you for your repsonse and I am happy to still be alive and back on line. Would you graciously permit me to make a comment or two? I believe everyone has observed radical changes in our weather systems of lately. I think we can all agree that Katrina proved this. And secondly, in the Chicago area, Lake Michigan 'biases' the wind currents in the entire Chicago area. Because of this, some areas (at least in the past) have been immune to tornadic activity. Wheaton is somewhat of an example since during my entire lifetime, I have only seen one other Wheaton Tornado. In the past, other knowledgable people have recognized that there is a Tornado alley in the SW air corridors of the Chicago land areas. However, since our weather parameters are changing, maybe that rule of the past is no longer viable? Thank you again for your nice comments.

Best Regards,

Carter Glass

[NYrules]

While I do believe that the weather seems to be changing to an extent, I do not believe it to be of such a great measure we are led to believe. Weather records only go back some few hundred years, yet the Earth is how old? This could just be the start of another climate change that is normal to how the Earth is evolving with some minor influence from human factors. Anways, enough on that topic because I don't want to start that debate. Anyone who thinks the lake won't allow a tornado to form near it needs to watch this video.
YouTube - Loyola Chicago tornado

[HOWELL_STREET]

During the winter months, Chicago's renowned weather man, Tom Skilling (channel 9, WGN, Chicago) has shown some amazing radar pictures of the Lake Michigan effect snow invading Indiana's Ogden Dunes, Chesterton and Beverly Shores areas. Those radar pictures are a visual indication of how the wind currents effect the entire Chicago land areas - - even as far south west as Plainfield, Illinois.
So when those lake effect summer winds butt back into the South west winds- - that are swirling around the south portion of the lake - - then that sometimes creates unstable weather conditions for the SW part of the Chicago area. From memory, an interesting movie to watch is titled something like "Super-Storm"(?)

Carter Glass

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by NYrules

Anytime an IDIOT says "tornados can't hit the Chicago area because of the lake or because its so built up" I just want to hit them. To anyone doubting this FACT, take a look at this link. Photos of the Oak Lawn Tornado | Oak Lawn Tornado ALSO CHECK THIS OUT Pictures from the 1967 Oak Lawn Tornado Tornados DO hit Chicago. Its not a matter of "if" its a matter of when. Be prepared!!! Have a plan! Don't panic!

Tornadoes can strike anywhere, Chicago is no exception, obviously. As long as Chicago has been around, I dont think a tornado has hit inside the city limits, which is pretty amazing. Someone correct me if Im wrong. In other words, sure they can happen, but theyre extremely rare, like the tornado in Brooklyn this year.

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

Tornadoes can strike anywhere, Chicago is no exception, obviously. As long as Chicago has been around, I dont think a tornado has hit inside the city limits, which is pretty amazing. Someone correct me if Im wrong. In other words, sure they can happen, but theyre extremely rare, like the tornado in Brooklyn this year.

Actually wrong! The Oak Lawn tornado of 1967 carved a path of destruction from Palos Hills all the way to the lake basically following a path along SouthWest Highway and then 87th/79th Street. This was an F-4 tornado, but is known as the "Oak Lawn" tornado because of the total carnage it caused at 95th Street and SW Highway as people sat stuck in traffic and had no idea the tornado was going to sweep a path of destruction right over them. This tornado obviously did make it into the city's limits as it was able to make its path to the lake. Oak Lawn Tornado (broken link) Oak Lawn Tornado (broken link) Tornado of 1967 - Belvidere Illinois / ComPortOne of Rockford Illinois AND here is a very interesting map by UIC in Chicago showing all the paths that tornadoes have taken around Chicago over the past 54 years. Tornado Map of Chicago Area 1950-2004 (broken link)

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by NYrules

Actually wrong! The Oak Lawn tornado of 1967 carved a path of destruction from Palos Hills all the way to the lake basically following a path along SouthWest Highway and then 87th/79th Street. This was an F-4 tornado, but is known as the "Oak Lawn" tornado because of the total carnage it caused at 95th Street and SW Highway as people sat stuck in traffic and had no idea the tornado was going to sweep a path of destruction right over them. This tornado obviously did make it into the city's limits as it was able to make its path to the lake. Oak Lawn Tornado (broken link) Oak Lawn Tornado (broken link) Tornado of 1967 - Belvidere Illinois / ComPortOne of Rockford Illinois AND here is a very interesting map by UIC in Chicago showing all the paths that tornadoes have taken around Chicago over the past 54 years. Tornado Map of Chicago Area 1950-2004 (broken link)

I didnt dispute that it didnt happen, read again. All Im saying is that although they can occur, theyre pretty rare. In the town's history, thats the only tornado thats occured in the last 40 years and probably none before it. Ive lived here 30 years and have never seen one, and my father is a spotter with ESDA. He's been a spotter for over 20 years and still has yet to see a cloud even drop. Yes they occur, but do they occur like OK, or TX, or KS? No, not even close. Ya dig?

[NYrules]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

I didnt dispute that it didnt happen, read again. All Im saying is that although they can occur, theyre pretty rare. In the town's history, thats the only tornado thats occured in the last 40 years and probably none before it. Ive lived here 30 years and have never seen one, and my father is a spotter with ESDA. He's been a spotter for over 20 years and still has yet to see a cloud even drop. Yes they occur, but do they occur like OK, or TX, or KS? No, not even close. Ya dig?

I never once said that they do occur at a frequency as those in TX and OK, but the point is that they do occur here and in your exact words, " I dont think a tornado has ever occured within the city limits, someone correct me if I am wrong" Im not trying to pick on you, but people need to realize that because they are in the city or any big city for that matter, they are not excluded from needing to be aware of what to do during a tornado. Wishful thinking that tornadoes are absent within the city limits is what causes residents in the city to think of tornado warnings as a joke or another case of the little boy who cried wolf to many times. It's just a good idea for everyone out there to have a plan of attack on what to do in case there ever is a situation where a tornado approaches.

It was the thinking that tornadoes cannot hit Chicago that 40 years ago caused 33 people in the city and Oak Lawn/Hometown to loose their lives and over 500 to be seriously injured. Most of them didn't heed the warnings and take shelter. It has been a proven fact that that day, surprisingly, residents had nearly 20 minutes of warning via TV and radio to take shelter and just about nobody took the warnings seriously until it was too late. Here is a link to some common misconceptions about tornadoes that may save someone's life someday. Myths and Misconceptions about Tornadoes

[Steve-o]

Good points. I clearly understand that they can and will occur, and thanks for your little graphs, they were interesting. But if you consider how long Chicago has been around and how many tornadoes have crossed the city lines, theyre very few and far between, almost like a tornado in Arizona.