Massive storms and at least one “confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado” tore through the Chicago area late Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service, leaving a path of damage and destruction in its wake.
Here are the latest updates from across the region:
10:49 a.m.: NWS Sends 2 Survey Teams to Investigate Tornado Damage
The National Weather Service says it has dispatched two survey teams to investigate tornado damage in Chicago’s western suburbs.
The first team was sent to the Naperville, Woodridge, Darien and Burr Ridge area, the NWS tweeted. A second team was sent to search for tornadic evidence farther north in DuPage County, specifically in Downers Grove and near Addison.
“We are still doing some follow-up work with various emergency management agencies to see if additional damage surveys will need to be done elsewhere. We hope to have some preliminary findings posted at some point this afternoon,” the NWS said.
NBC Sky 5 to Fly Over Tornado Damage
NBC’s Sky 5 will fly over the areas impacted by Sunday night’s tornado at around 11 a.m. to get an overhead view of the extensive damage caused by the severe weather. Live coverage from Sky 5 can be watched in the video player above.
Woodridge Officials to Give Update at 11:30 a.m.
Officials in Woodridge are expected to hold a news conference at around 11:30 a.m. to give an update on storm damage and clean-up efforts. The event can be watched live in the video player below:
8:21 a.m.: Thousands Remain Without Power After Tornado, Storms Hit Parts of Chicago Area
More than 19,000 Commonwealth Edison customers remained without power Monday morning after severe thunderstorms and at least one tornado tore through the area on Sunday night.
ComEd said in a statement that crews are field-assessing damage and trying to restore power “as quickly as possible.”
The utility said the best way to stay updated on outages is to keep an eye on the alerts portion of ComEd’s website. Anyone who encounters a downed power line should immediately call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON1 (1-800-334-7661).
According to figures issued Monday morning from the utility, 19,806 customers were affected by power outages. Here are the numbers of customers without power as of 8:21 a.m.:
Cook County: 8,950
DeKalb County: 105
DuPage County: 9,316
Kane County: 687
LaSalle County: 56
Will County: 347
8 a.m.: Photos Show Damage and Destruction in Woodridge, Naperville
Phil Rogers
See more photos here:
6:51 a.m.: NWS Says Tornado Touched Down in Naperville, Woodridge, Darien
A National Weather Service spokesman said the agency is still surveying the Chicago area following massive storms and a tornado late Sunday night, but confirmed that a tornado did touch down in multiple Chicago suburbs as it moved from west to east.
Matt Friedlien with the NWS said early Monday that the agency can confirm a tornado touched down in the Naperville, Woodridge and Darien area and moved from west to east. The tornado paralleled 75th Street into Woodridge and crossed 355, he said.
He noted that the NWS is not sure the exact locations where the tornado touched down, noting it was unclear if the tornado moved past Darien, but expected to have that information around mid-day.
6 a.m.: 6 Injured, 16 Homes Uninhabitable in Widespread Damage From Naperville Tornado
Naperville officials say six people were hospitalized and 16 houses were deemed uninhabitable, with at least 125 more reports of property damage in the area after a tornado tore through the Chicago suburb Sunday.
Naperville officials said Monday morning that tornado sirens were activated at 11:07 p.m. Sunday night and the tornado was reported to have touched down at around 11:10 p.m. in the area just south of 75th Street and Ranchview Drive.
Fire and police personnel were dispatched to that area at 11:28 p.m., according to the city, and five people were taken to Edward Hospital: one in critical condition, while the other four sustained what were believe to be non-life-threatening injuries.
The city deemed 16 houses uninhabitable as of 6 a.m., with inspectors continuing to survey property damage Monday morning, noting widespread damage to homes, downed power lines and fallen trees across the area.
The city has received at least 125 reports of property damage with the area where the tornado touched down, with 10 people from three homes taken to a relocation point where the Red Cross and Salvation Army were assisting those displaced.
6:23 a.m.: NWS Details Overnight Tornado Damage
The NWS says “At least one damaging tornado occurred in the southwest Chicago metro & will be surveyed today,” noting that the most significant damage was in the southwest suburbs of Naperville, Woodridge and Darien between 11 p.m. and 12 a.m.
“Significant damage to over a dozen southwest suburban homes and at least some damage to over 100 homes” was reported, the NWS said.
2:55 a.m.: Woodridge Conducting Damage Assessment From Tornado
Woodridge officials said the village is conducting a damage assessment from the tornado, with no reports of significant injuries as of 2:55 a.m.
A tornado touched down at around 11:30 p.m. in Woodridge east of Route 53 between 83rd Street and 75th Street, the village said, traveling east to the Lemont Road area.
DuPage Public Safety Communications activated the tornado sirens at 10:48 p.m. in Woodridge and the surrounding communities, according to the village.
Residents were advised to avoid the areas noted due to downed power lines and fallen trees. Emergency response crews remain on the scene.
2:45 a.m.: Woodridge Resident Recounts Eerie Calm Before Storm Struck
2:40 a.m.: Photos Show Widespread Damage From Tornado Across Chicago Area
Photos: Homes Damaged, Trees Toppled by Tornado in DuPage County
2:30 a.m.: Witness Recounts Moment Tornado Struck Woodridge
2 a.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Watch Expires
A severe thunderstorm watch in Will and Kankakee counties in Illinois, along with Lake, Porter, Jasper and Newton counties in northwest Indiana, was allowed to expire at 2 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
The thunderstorms that sparked a slew of watches and warnings late Sunday and into early Monday have moved out of the NBC 5 viewing area.
1:42 a.m.: Clean-Up Begins After Powerful Storms Hammer Area
All severe weather warnings were allowed to expire throughout the Chicago area, but a long night of clean-up and damage assessment was just beginning in the city and suburbs.
Road closures were still prevalent in several areas, including in Woodridge, where a tornado likely touched down on Sunday night. Darien, Naperville and Burr Ridge are also reporting street closures due to storm damage, fires and other challenges in the early morning hours of Monday.
Heavy rainfall was reported throughout the area, with areas just west of Chicago and areas of northwest Indiana hit particularly hard.
1:03 a.m.: No Injuries Reported in Darien
A likely tornado that struck Chicago’s western suburbs did serious damage in Darien, but no injuries have been reported thus far, according to officials.
Downed power lines remain a hazard in the community:
1:02 a.m.: Road Closures Reported in Woodridge, Other Chicago Suburbs Due to Storm Damage
Roadways in several Chicago area communities have been rendered impassable by damage left behind by a string of severe thunderstorms, including one that likely spawned a tornado in the western suburbs Sunday night.
According to Total Traffic, several major streets are closed in suburban Woodridge after a tornado likely touched down around 11 p.m. Sunday.
According to Woodridge police, residents are being asked to avoid areas near Janes Avenue, Woodridge Drive and Woodward Avenue because of heavy storm damage and first responder activity.
In Naperville, the probable tornado caused a structure collapse in the area of Ranchview Drive and Princeton Circle, and residents are being asked to avoid the area.
The Stevenson Expressway between Kedzie and Pulaski Road is dealing with major flooding issues, which are causing stop-and-go traffic on the roadway.
Flooding has also caused the three left lanes of the outbound Kennedy near the Hubbard Street Tunnel to become impassable. Only the right lane is currently usable.
In suburban Darien, Lemont Road is closed in both directions between 83rd Street and 75th Street due to storm damage and a reported fire.
12:39 a.m.: Reports of Tornado Damage Continue to Come In From Woodridge
Officials in Woodridge have confirmed that a tornado touched down in the community late Sunday night:
Several structures were badly damaged in the tornado, and residents are being urged to avoid the areas of Janes Avenue, Woodridge Drive and Woodward Avenue.
11:19 p.m.: “Confirmed Large and Extremely Dangerous Tornado” Impacting Chicago Area
Calling it a “life-threatening situation,” the National Weather Service urged residents to seek shelter as a “confirmed large and extremely dangerous tornado” caused damage in the western and southwestern suburbs of Chicago.
According to the NWS, the tornado was located over Darien at 11:15 p.m., and was moving east at 45 miles per hour.
11:16 p.m.: Tornado Warning Issued for Parts of DuPage, Cook Counties
A new tornado warning was issued for parts of DuPage and Cook counties, according to the National Weather Service.
The warning impacted east-central DuPage County and central Cook County, and was in effect until midnight.
A storm capable of producing a tornado was moving to the east at 45 miles per hour, located over Westmont at the time of the warning.
11:13 p.m.: Debris Signature Indicates Tornado Touch Down Near Woodridge, Bolingbrook
According to the National Weather Service, a debris signature on Doppler radar indicates that a tornado touched down near the border of Woodridge and Bolingbrook.
The storm that spawned the tornado is moving to the east at 50 miles per hour, according to the alert.
11:07 p.m.: Tornado Warning Issued for Parts of DuPage, Cook and Will Counties
A tornado warning was issued for parts of Will, DuPage and Cook counties, according to the National Weather Service, expiring at 11:45 p.m.
A storm capable of producing a tornado was located over Naperville at 11:05 p.m., moving to the east at 50 miles per hour.
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