Tornadoes don’t hit the city of Chicago very often, but weather officials have confirmed that an EF-1 tornado impacted the city’s Near West Side and Loop during Monday night’ severe weather outbreak.
According to the latest estimates from the National Weather Service, an EF-1 tornado touched down on Chicago’s Near West Side on Monday night. The tornado remained on the ground until it reached the western portion of The Loop before lifting into the clouds.
There were reports of power outages and assorted damage in the area, but no injuries were reported, according to officials.
An EF-1 tornado can pack wind gusts of up to 110 miles per hour according to the Enhanced Fujita Scale, but it’s unclear what wind gusts occurred in the area where the twister touched down.
Before Sunday, only six tornadoes had touched down in the city of Chicago over the last 70 years, but the city has now seen three in just two days, according to NWS officials.
Two tornadoes were reported on the city’s South Side during Sunday night’s thunderstorms. Both of those tornadoes were EF-0 twisters, which indicates maximum wind gusts of 85 miles per hour, according to the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
Officials say at least five tornadoes have been confirmed so far. A tornado that touched down near Channahon ripped down power lines and caused several traffic crashes on Interstate 55, and was at least an EF-1 tornado, though officials say it may have been stronger.
Another EF-1 tornado was reported near Bristol and Oswego, and two EF-0 tornadoes were reported in Bridgeview and in Crown Point, Indiana.
In all, the National Weather Service is examining 29 different paths of damage for potential tornadoes, and that work will continue for several days.