November 22, 2010, Severe Weather

Summary
Tornadoes/Straight-Line Winds
Radar
Environment
Photos
Additional Info

Summary

Strong to severe thunderstorms moved across portions of northern Illinois on November 22, 2010, producing isolated straight-line wind damage and one EF-2 tornado.

The tornado, which tracked from Loves Park past Caledonia, Poplar Grove, and Capron to near Harvard, IL, caused 6 injuries after overturning a school bus.

Tornadoes / Straight-Line Winds

Loves Park - Caledonia - Capron EF2

Map showing Loves Park - Caledonia - Capron tornado track

Map showing Loves Park - Caledonia - Capron tornado track, zoomed in on area of most intense damage

Summary:

Based on an eyewitness report, a tornado touched in the backyard of a home just west of Interstate 39, on the eastern edge of a subdivision. The tornado then blew over a school bus near the intersection of Argyle and Harlem Roads. There were six people on the bus, the driver and five children. All six people were taken to the hospital but none of the injuries were serious. The tornado then knocked down eleven electrical high tension towers just southwest of the same intersection. The tornado continued northeast into western Boone county, and moved across largely open rural fields towards the town of Caledonia. Significant damage occured to at least six buildings in Caledonia, with approximately 20 additional buildings sustaining minor damage. Several large trees were snapped or uprooted and a grain bin was partially collapsed. The tornado then continued northeast from Caledonia, downing several power poles, and causing damage ranging from blown off roofs to completely destroying at least three farm outbuildings. One of these buildings, located 2 miles northwest of Capron, had also been damaged during the January 2008 tornado. The tornado path, consisting mainly of sporadic tree damage at this point, then continued to a location roughly one mile west of Lawrence, where the tornado appears to have dissipated at 325 pm.

This tornado had a path length of 18.1 miles and a maximum width of 200 yards. The tornado began at approximately 3:00 PM and ended at approximately 3:25 PM.

Big Foot Prairie - Walworth EF1

Summary:

A tornado touched down in the extreme northern part of McHenry County near Big Foot Prairie and then quickly moved northeast into Walworth County in southern Wisconsin west of the intersection of Alden Road and State Line Road. The tornado then quickly intensified to EF-1 rating. It moved northeast for over 5 miles before dissipating about 1,700 feet southeast of the intersection of County Road BB and Zenda Road. Five homes sustained damage, with two homes severely damaged. The tornado crossed County Highway B east of Swamp Angel Rd. Collectively, three sheds and two barns were damaged, with one of the barns flattened. Eight wooden power poles were also snapped, along with numerous trees and fences. On one farm, 4 cows, and several chickens and turkeys were killed by tornado debris.

This tornado had a path length of 5.4 miles and a maximum width of 100 yards. The tornado began at 3:31 PM and ended at 3:37 PM.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
829 PM CST MON NOV 22 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0237 PM     TSTM WND DMG     DIXON                   41.85N 89.48W
11/22/2010                   LEE                IL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES AND WIRES DOWN.

0241 PM     HAIL             ROCKFORD                42.27N 89.06W
11/22/2010  E0.50 INCH       WINNEBAGO          IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            DIME SIZED HAIL AT WREX STATION.

0300 PM     TORNADO          3 E LOVES PARK          42.34N 88.95W
11/22/2010                   WINNEBAGO          IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            *** 6 INJ *** DAMAGE IN CALEDONIA AREA NEAR ARGYLE ROAD
            AND HARLEM ROAD AND PAULSON ROADS...ONE BUSINESS ALMOST
            COMPLETELY DESTROYED...OTHER HOMES AND GARAGES PARTIALLY
            DOWN. GRAIN SILO DESTROYED AND LEAKING GRAIN ONTO STREET.
            LARGE BARN COMPLETELY DOWN. LARGE SUBSTATION DAMAGED AND
            HIGH TENSION POWERLINES DOWN. BUS ROLLED OVER AT PAULSON
            AND HARLEM ROAD.6 CHILDREN INJURED...SENT TO HOSPITAL.
            ALL INFORMATION REGARDING TIME AND LOCATIONS IS
            PRELIMINARY UNTIL DAMAGE SURVEY CONDUCTED.

0300 PM     TORNADO          3 E LOVES PARK          42.34N 88.95W
11/22/2010                   WINNEBAGO          IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            ESTIMATED 1/2 MILE WIDE TORNADO SPOTTED ON GROUND AT THE
            INTERSECTION OF ARGYLE RD AND HARLEM RD EAST OF ROCK CUT
            STATE PARK NEAR CALEDONIA. POWER LINES DOWN AND DEBRIS IN
            THE AIR REPORTED IN THE AREA.

0300 PM     HAIL             2 NW PERU               41.36N 89.16W
11/22/2010  E1.00 INCH       LA SALLE           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

0315 PM     TORNADO          2 NW HARVARD            42.44N 88.64W
11/22/2010                   MCHENRY            IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TORNADO SPOTTED ON GROUND IN LAWRENCE.

0315 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     2 W HARVARD             42.42N 88.65W
11/22/2010                   MCHENRY            IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTED 2 MILES DUE WEST OF MOTOROLA PLANT IN HARVARD..

0315 PM     HEAVY RAIN       N MENDOTA               41.55N 89.12W
11/22/2010  M0.41 INCH       LA SALLE           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            IN 1/2 HOUR. MEASURED BY COCORAHS SPOTTER. .86 INCHES
            TOTAL SINCE MORNING READING.

0323 PM     TSTM WND DMG     EARLVILLE               41.59N 88.92W
11/22/2010                   LA SALLE           IL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            PUBLIC INFORMED POLICE OF A TREE DOWN BLOCKING A ROAD.
            THIS IS A DELAYED REPORT FROM EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON.

0324 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     3 W HINCKLEY            41.77N 88.70W
11/22/2010                   DEKALB             IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PASSED OVER RT 30 BETWEEN WATERMAN AND HINCKLEY

0325 PM     HAIL             WATERMAN                41.77N 88.77W
11/22/2010  E1.25 INCH       DEKALB             IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ESTIMATED BETWEEN QUARTER AND GOLF BALL SIZED.

0330 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     ELBURN                  41.89N 88.47W
11/22/2010                   KANE               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ROTATING WALL CLOUD AND POSSIBLE FUNNEL CLOUD SPOTTED.

0335 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     5 SW ELBURN             41.83N 88.52W
11/22/2010                   KANE               IL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            ROTATING WALL CLOUD SPOTTED BY SHERIFF DEPUTY AND TRAINED
            SPOTTER.

0340 PM     HAIL             1 SSW MAPLE PARK        41.90N 88.60W
11/22/2010  E1.00 INCH       KANE               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            REPORTED FROM ILLINOIS RT 38 AND COUNTY LINE RD.

0346 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     5 NW SUGAR GROVE        41.82N 88.53W
11/22/2010                   KANE               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SPOTTED 1 MILE SOUTH OF KANEVILLE.

0400 PM     TSTM WND GST     OTTAWA                  41.35N 88.84W
11/22/2010  M55.00 MPH       LA SALLE           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MEASURED 2 MILES NORTH OF I-80 AT RT. 23. 40 MPH+
            SUSTAINED WINDS AT THE TIME.

0400 PM     FLASH FLOOD      CHICAGO                 41.88N 87.63W
11/22/2010                   COOK               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STREET FLOODING WITH 6-7 INCHES OF WATER ON ROAD AT 6000
            N LINCOLN AVENUE NEAR THE INTERSECTION AT PETERSON.

0400 PM     HEAVY RAIN       OTTAWA                  41.35N 88.84W
11/22/2010  M1.00 INCH       LA SALLE           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            IN 1 HOUR.

0404 PM     HAIL             ELGIN                   42.04N 88.29W
11/22/2010  M0.50 INCH       KANE               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT INTERSECTION OF BOWES AND
            RANDALL ROADS.

0415 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     OSWEGO                  41.70N 88.33W
11/22/2010                   KENDALL            IL   PUBLIC

            SPOTTED AT INTERSECTION OF RT 34 AND DOUGLAS

0420 PM     HAIL             MONTGOMERY              41.73N 88.34W
11/22/2010  M0.25 INCH       KANE               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            INTERSECTION OF RT 31 AND RT 30

0445 PM     HEAVY RAIN       GLEN ELLYN              41.87N 88.06W
11/22/2010  M2.15 INCH       DUPAGE             IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            RAIN FELL BETWEEN 400 AND 445 PM.

0445 PM     HEAVY RAIN       5 NNW ADDISON           42.00N 88.05W
11/22/2010  M0.77 INCH       DUPAGE             IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            COCORAHS OBSERVER. RAIN FELL BETWEEN 415 AND 430 PM. 1.03
            INCHES OF RAINFALL SINCE 6AM READING.

0455 PM     HEAVY RAIN       SSE CAROL STREAM        41.91N 88.13W
11/22/2010  M1.52 INCH       DUPAGE             IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            STORM TOTAL. 1.11 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN THE LAST 2
            HOURS. COCORAHS OBSERVER.

0510 PM     TSTM WND GST     AURORA                  41.77N 88.29W
11/22/2010  M51.00 MPH       KANE               IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            MESONET REPORT RELAYED BY TV STATION WGN

0510 PM     TSTM WND GST     CHICAGO                 41.88N 87.63W
11/22/2010  M47.00 MPH       COOK               IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            READING FROM BELDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. MESONET REPORT
            RELAYED BY TV STATION WGN.

0510 PM     TSTM WND GST     LOMBARD                 41.87N 88.01W
11/22/2010  M44.00 MPH       DUPAGE             IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            MESONET REPORT RELAYED BY TV STATION WGN

0510 PM     TSTM WND GST     NAPERVILLE              41.76N 88.15W
11/22/2010  M51.00 MPH       DUPAGE             IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            MESONET REPORT RELAYED BY TV STATION WGN

0510 PM     TSTM WND GST     WAUKEGAN                42.37N 87.87W
11/22/2010  M46.00 MPH       LAKE               IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            MESONET REPORT RELAYED BY TV STATION WGN

0510 PM     TSTM WND GST     RIVERSIDE               41.83N 87.82W
11/22/2010  M43.00 MPH       COOK               IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            MESONET REPORT RELAYED BY TV STATION WGN

0530 PM     HEAVY RAIN       NAPERVILLE              41.76N 88.15W
11/22/2010  E1.34 INCH       DUPAGE             IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            UNOFFICIAL MESONET RAINFALL TOTAL THROUGH 530 PM RELAYED
            BY WMAQ.

0530 PM     HEAVY RAIN       STREAMWOOD              42.02N 88.17W
11/22/2010  M1.60 INCH       COOK               IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            UNOFFICIAL MESONET RAINFALL TOTAL THROUGH 530 PM RELAYED
            BY WMAQ.

0530 PM     HEAVY RAIN       SCHAUMBURG              42.03N 88.08W
11/22/2010  M1.78 INCH       COOK               IL   BROADCAST MEDIA

            UNOFFICIAL MESONET RAINFALL TOTAL THROUGH 530 PM RELAYED
            BY WMAQ.

0539 PM     FLASH FLOOD      BROOKFIELD              41.82N 87.85W
11/22/2010                   COOK               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NEAR INTERSECTION OF OGDEN AVE AND FIRST AVENUE, MINOR
            STREET FLOODING

0555 PM     HEAVY RAIN       OHARE AIRPORT           41.98N 87.90W
11/22/2010  M1.36 INCH       COOK               IL   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            STORM TOTAL AS OF 6PM

0555 PM     HEAVY RAIN       ROCKFORD AIRPORT        42.20N 89.10W
11/22/2010  M0.48 INCH       WINNEBAGO          IL   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            STORM TOTAL

0555 PM     HEAVY RAIN       AURORA                  41.77N 88.29W
11/22/2010  M1.61 INCH       KANE               IL   ASOS

0555 PM     HEAVY RAIN       ROMEOVILLE              41.65N 88.09W
11/22/2010  M0.64 INCH       WILL               IL   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

            STORM TOTAL AS OF 6PM

0555 PM     HEAVY RAIN       MIDWAY AIRPORT          41.78N 87.75W
11/22/2010  M1.06 INCH       COOK               IL   ASOS

            STORM TOTAL SO FAR

0555 PM     HEAVY RAIN       WEST CHICAGO            41.89N 88.22W
11/22/2010  M1.02 INCH       DUPAGE             IL   ASOS

0557 PM     HEAVY RAIN       YORKVILLE               41.64N 88.45W
11/22/2010  M0.84 INCH       KENDALL            IL   CO-OP OBSERVER

            STORM TOTAL

0603 PM     FLASH FLOOD      MIDWAY AIRPORT          41.78N 87.75W
11/22/2010                   COOK               IL   OTHER FEDERAL

            RUNWAY CLOSED DUE TO STANDING WATER.

0615 PM     HEAVY RAIN       1 ESE PONTIAC           40.87N 88.63W
11/22/2010  M0.83 INCH       LIVINGSTON         IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            0.75 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN PAST 30 MINUTES. COCORAHS
            OBSERVER.

0710 PM     HEAVY RAIN       4 NE BROOKFIELD         41.88N 87.80W
11/22/2010  M1.75 INCH       COOK               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            RAIN FELL IN THE LAST 12 HOURS. COCORAHS OBSERVER

0714 PM     HEAVY RAIN       BERWYN                  41.84N 87.79W
11/22/2010  M2.02 INCH       COOK               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            RETIRED NWS EMPLOYEE

0726 PM     HEAVY RAIN       OAK BROOK               41.84N 87.95W
11/22/2010  M1.16 INCH       DUPAGE             IL   CO-OP OBSERVER

            STORM TOTAL

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF-0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF-1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF-2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF-3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF-4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF-5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

Radar

Image showing radar base reflectivity velocity loop for November 22
Base reflectivity loop for afternoon of November 22, 2010.

Image showing radar storm-relative velocity loop for November 22 Storm-relative velocity loop for afternoon of November 22, 2010.

Environment

A potent cold front passed through the area on Monday, November 22, and brought a line of severe thunderstorms to the region. Strong southerly winds ahead of the front brought warm and humid air into the region. Temperatures neared record highs and dew points soared into the upper 50s to lower 60s allowing moderate instability to develop. Strong wind shear in the atmosphere, especially in the lowest kilometer, created favorable conditions for rotating supercells and tornadoes.

A cold front approached northeast Illinois with southerly winds ahead of it and southwesterly winds behind it. A change in wind direction with height above the ground created strong low level wind shear, a condition favorable for rotating thunderstorms.

Map showing surface weather conditions for the afternoon of November 22

Photos


Damage to a grain elevator near Caledonia (NWS Damage Survey)	Damage to a grain silo near Caledonia (NWS Damage Survey)	Damage to a garage near Capron (NWS Damage Survey)	Damage to a garage near Caledonia (NWS Damage Survey)


Damage along Main Street in Caledonia (NWS Damage Survey)	Damage to electrical transmission towers east of Loves park (NWS Damage Survey)	Damage to a house near Caledonia (NWS Damage Survey)	Damage to a residence near Caledonia (NWS Damage Survey)


Damage to a garage near Caledonia (NWS Damage Survey)

Additional Information

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