Overview
A line of severe thunderstorms moved across northern Illinois late in the evening of May 17th and overnight into the early morning of May 18th. There were numerous reports of damaging winds occurring with these thunderstorms along with a few reports of hail up to the size of golf balls. An EF-1 Tornado also occurred touching down approximately two miles south of Poplar Grove and dissipating approximately 3 miles northwest of Harvard.
Tornadoes:
Tornado - Capron
Track Map |
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0 Weak 65-85 mph |
EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph |
EF2 Significant 111-135 mph |
EF3 Severe 136-165 mph |
EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph |
EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph |
Photos:
Uprooted trees in Rockton, IL due to severe winds. (Courtesy: Will Wight via Twitter) |
Damaged building in Roscoe/South Beloit, IL due to severe winds. (Courtesy: Will Wight via Twitter) |
Damaged buildings near Capron, IL due to an EF-1 tornado. (NWS Survey) |
Damaged outbuilding/storage garage in Hinckley, IL due to straight-line winds. (Courtesy: Jeff Kilburg) |
Radar:
Radar Loop | Velocity Loop with Severe Thunderstorm Warnings (Yellow) and Tornado Warnings (Red) |
Storm Reports
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 812 PM CDT THU MAY 18 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0605 PM TSTM WND DMG MOUNT MORRIS 42.05N 89.43W 05/17/2017 OGLE IL TRAINED SPOTTER SHEET METAL OFF OF FARM BUILDING. TREES SIX TO TWELVE INCHES IN DIAMETER DOWN. 0608 PM HEAVY RAIN 5 NW POLO 42.04N 89.65W 05/17/2017 M0.62 INCH OGLE IL CO-OP OBSERVER RAIN FELL IN 10 MINUTES 0608 PM TSTM WND DMG LEAF RIVER 42.12N 89.40W 05/17/2017 OGLE IL TRAINED SPOTTER TREES DOWN APPROXIMATELY 12 INCHES IN DIAMETER. 0610 PM TSTM WND GST 6 WNW ROCKFORD 42.29N 89.17W 05/17/2017 M65.00 MPH WINNEBAGO IL BROADCAST MEDIA WTVO 0615 PM TSTM WND DMG PECATONICA 42.31N 89.36W 05/17/2017 WINNEBAGO IL TRAINED SPOTTER NUMEROUS MATURE TREES SNAPPED AND UPROOTED. SOME ARE 4 FEET IN DIAMETER, AND SOME ARE ON POWER LINES. POWER POLES ARE ALSO DOWN, AND A 10 FT BY 8 FT CHICKEN COOP WAS BLOWN INTO A NEARBY FIELD. PEA SIZED HAIL WAS ALSO REPORTED. 0617 PM TSTM WND DMG WINNEBAGO 42.27N 89.24W 05/17/2017 WINNEBAGO IL PUBLIC TANKER TRUCK BLOWN OFF OF US 20 0617 PM HAIL WINNEBAGO 42.27N 89.24W 05/17/2017 M1.75 INCH WINNEBAGO IL BROADCAST MEDIA HAIL FELL FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. HAIL FELL AT WREX. 0618 PM HAIL WINNEBAGO 42.27N 89.24W 05/17/2017 M1.00 INCH WINNEBAGO IL TRAINED SPOTTER WIND GUSTS ESTIMATED TO 70 MPH. 0630 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 SSW SOUTH BELOIT 42.44N 89.05W 05/17/2017 WINNEBAGO IL PUBLIC LARGE TREES UPROOTED. TREES 18-20 INCHES IN DIAMETER. 0630 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 NW MACHESNEY PARK 42.39N 89.10W 05/17/2017 WINNEBAGO IL EMERGENCY MNGR LARGE OUTBUILDING DESTROYED AND ONE WITH ITS ROOF DAMAGED. NUMEROUS LARGE BRANCHES SNAPPED AND A COUPLE LARGE TREES DOWNED. REPORTS AND RADAR ARE CONSISTENT WITH STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE OF 90-95 MPH. 0631 PM TSTM WND DMG ROSCOE 42.42N 89.01W 05/17/2017 WINNEBAGO IL TRAINED SPOTTER MULTIPLE LARGE TREES UPROOTED. 0952 PM TSTM WND DMG DIXON 41.85N 89.48W 05/17/2017 LEE IL EMERGENCY MNGR MULTIPLE TREES AND WIRES DOWN...INCLUDING LARGE TREES BLOCKING SOME ROADS. DAMAGE IN A SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST DIRECTION ACROSS TOWN. A PARKED POLICE CAR STORM SPOTTING ON SOUTH SIDE OF TOWN WAS PUSHED 4 TO 5 FEET BY THE WIND. 1009 PM HAIL ROCKFORD 42.27N 89.06W 05/17/2017 M1.00 INCH WINNEBAGO IL AMATEUR RADIO QUARTER SIZED HAIL AT ALPINE AND HARRISON IN ROCKFORD. 1019 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 NW MENDOTA 41.60N 89.18W 05/17/2017 LEE IL NWS STORM SURVEY SPORADIC WIND DAMAGE WAS NOTED OVER EASTERN LEE COUNTY AND FAR NORTHWEST LASALLE COUNTY. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO 90 MPH. SEVERAL WOODEN POWER POLES WERE BROKEN ON ROUTE 52 NORTHWEST OF MENDOTA. SEVERAL HARDWOOD TREES WERE SNAPPED ON ROUTE 251 NEAR COTTAGE HILL ROAD. AN IRRIGATION PIVOT WAS TOPPLED IN THE SAME AREA. 1021 PM TORNADO 2 S POPLAR GROVE 42.33N 88.82W 05/17/2017 F1 BOONE IL NWS STORM SURVEY AN NWS SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED THAT AN EF-1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES SOUTH OF POPLAR GROVE. THE TORNADO TRAVELED APPROXIMATELY 10.3 MILES AND LIFTED THREE MILES NORTHWEST OF HARVARD. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR AROUND 13 MINUTES. 1023 PM TSTM WND DMG MENDOTA 41.55N 89.12W 05/17/2017 LA SALLE IL TRAINED SPOTTER A FEW LARGE TREES DOWNED IN TOWN. 1025 PM HAIL POPLAR GROVE 42.37N 88.82W 05/17/2017 M1.50 INCH BOONE IL AMATEUR RADIO 1027 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 S COMPTON 41.65N 89.09W 05/17/2017 LEE IL NWS STORM SURVEY MULTIPLE TREES DOWN BLOCKING ROADS ALONG/NEAR ROUTE 251 AND COTTAGE GROVE AND WELLEND ROADS. IRRIGATION PIVOT TURNED OVER. WIND DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH 80-90 MPH WINDS. 1037 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 N HARVARD 42.49N 88.62W 05/17/2017 MCHENRY IL NWS STORM SURVEY NWS STORM SURVEY DETERMINED STRAIGHT-LINE DAMAGE OCCURRED IN THE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY OF BIG FOOT PRAIRIE ALONG THE ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN STATE LINE. DAMAGE INCLUDED A FEW LARGE TREES AND LARGE BRANCHES DOWNED. WIND SPEEDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND 85 MPH. 1045 PM TSTM WND GST DE KALB 41.93N 88.75W 05/17/2017 M49.00 MPH DEKALB IL TRAINED SPOTTER NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. 1049 PM TSTM WND DMG DE KALB 41.93N 88.75W 05/17/2017 DE KALB IL TRAINED SPOTTER ROAD BLOCKED BY A 10 INCH DIAMETER TREE BRANCH. INTERSECTION OF 7TH STREET AND ROOSEVELT STREET. 1049 PM TSTM WND DMG DE KALB 41.93N 88.75W 05/17/2017 DE KALB IL AMATEUR RADIO 4-6 INCH DIAMETER BRANCHES BLOCKING STREETS 1052 PM TSTM WND DMG HINCKLEY 41.77N 88.64W 05/17/2017 DE KALB IL TRAINED SPOTTER STRAIGHT-LINE WIND DAMAGE CAUSED ISOLATED TREE DAMAGE AND DESTROYED A FARM OUTBUILDING. 1055 PM TSTM WND GST PERU 41.34N 89.13W 05/17/2017 M59.00 MPH LA SALLE IL AWOS 1100 PM TSTM WND DMG N UTICA 41.34N 89.01W 05/17/2017 LA SALLE IL LAW ENFORCEMENT MULTIPLE LARGE TREES DOWN. 1104 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 W PLAINFIELD 41.62N 88.28W 05/17/2017 KENDALL IL TRAINED SPOTTER LARGE TREE DOWNED ALONG IL HWY 126. 1110 PM TSTM WND DMG NORTH AURORA 41.80N 88.33W 05/17/2017 KANE IL PUBLIC LARGE TREE DOWN IN A BACKYARD IN NORTH AURORA. 1117 PM TSTM WND GST DUPAGE AIRPORT 41.92N 88.25W 05/17/2017 M66.00 MPH DUPAGE IL ASOS DPA ASOS GUST TO 66 MPH. 1124 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 NNW CAROL STREAM 41.94N 88.15W 05/17/2017 DUPAGE IL TRAINED SPOTTER NUMEROUS SMALL BRANCHES DOWN. ALSO A PERIOD OF HAIL, SIZE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. 1127 PM TSTM WND GST CAROL STREAM 41.92N 88.13W 05/17/2017 E55.00 MPH DUPAGE IL TRAINED SPOTTER 1128 PM TSTM WND GST 2 S HANOVER PARK 41.96N 88.14W 05/17/2017 E60.00 MPH DUPAGE IL TRAINED SPOTTER 1226 AM TSTM WND DMG ROMEOVILLE 41.65N 88.09W 05/18/2017 WILL IL NWS EMPLOYEE DELAYED REPORT. POWERPOLE SNAPPED ON RENWICK ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED. 1226 AM TSTM WND GST ROMEOVILLE 41.65N 88.09W 05/18/2017 M64.00 MPH WILL IL OFFICIAL NWS OBS 64 MPH GUST AT NWS CHICAGO. 1233 AM TSTM WND DMG LEMONT 41.67N 87.99W 05/18/2017 COOK IL PUBLIC DELAYED REPORT. LARGE SECTION OF A TREE DOWN. REPORT RELAYED VIA TWITTER. 0100 AM TSTM WND DMG OAK LAWN 41.72N 87.75W 05/18/2017 COOK IL BROADCAST MEDIA DELAYED REPORT. 3 TO 4 INCH DIAMETER TREE BRANCH THROUGH WINDSHIELD AND A 6 INCH DIAMETER BRANCH FELL ON CAR. SCATTERED TREE LIMBS OF VARYING SIZES DOWN THROUGHOUT TOWN. 0100 AM TSTM WND DMG HOMETOWN 41.73N 87.73W 05/18/2017 COOK IL TRAINED SPOTTER DELAYED REPORT. PORTION OF 6 FOOT TALL FENCE DAMAGED. REPORT RELAYED VIA TWITTER. 0100 AM TSTM WND DMG OAK LAWN 41.72N 87.75W 05/18/2017 COOK IL PUBLIC NEAR 97TH AND KENNETH IN OAK LAWN. 1 FT DIAMETER BRANCH FROM A HEALTHY MAPLE TREE DOWN. 0110 AM TSTM WND GST PEOTONE 41.33N 87.80W 05/18/2017 E55.00 MPH WILL IL EMERGENCY MNGR DELAYED REPORT.
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