This event was one that was shown for several days on model guidance, and was one I was watching for a potential chase. There were some differences in timing, with some model guidance much faster than others. This difference in timing had a significant impact on what locations would experience the significant severe weather that was to occur. As time rolled on and we moved to within a day or so of the event model guidance came into better agreement on timing, with initiation of storms expected to occur near the IA/IL and MO/IL border, sweeping east through the day, with most of the area between the Mississippi River and Appalachian Mountains in play for a significant late season severe weather event.
The day of...I was prepared to chase, but decided not to head south out of the Chicago metro area as my home turf was also in the highest risk area. Severe storms quickly developed near the aforementioned border region during the mid-morning hours. These storms quickly became supercells as they raced northeast. Storms had made it to about a DeKalb-Peoria-St. Louis line when numerous tornado warning started to be issued. Shortly after warnings were issued, what ended up being a long track EF-4 tornado moved through Washington, IL. At this point up north where I was at home activity was becoming increasingly linear, thus I made a last minute decision to make the drive to the far southern suburbs of Chicago. My target was where the Washington tornadic supercell would likely track, somewhere in the Joliet-Frankfort area, which is along the rural/urban border of the metro area. I knew waiting to the last minute would be cutting it close, but it was worth a try. Driving down to my target area I pretty much drove through the core of a severe warned line of storms almost the whole way down, which ended up being slightly over an hour drive. I encountered some wind, wind damage and blocked roads along the way, which added some time to the trip.
I made it down to just southwest of Frankfort, IL just as the tornadic supercell was moving in. All I was able to see was a wall of rain, with signs of wrapping rain curtains. I then turned east on Seger Rd where I was over taken by the storm. Wrapping rain curtains where now clearly visible at my location, in addition to debris, and changes in wind direction. I continued to push east where I then encountered damaging inflow winds, likely in the range of 70-80MPH, with damage occurring all around and flying debris. Conditions eventually improved after a while.
After the storm passed I re-traced my drive back west to check out damage from the inflow and see if there was any tornado damage. There was widespread tree damage, some damage to houses/outbuildings and of misc things in the area that was affected by the inflow winds. Zig-zagging around to the west I hit the tornado path. Houses and outbuildings were damaged and several high tension metal electrical towers were folded over. The damage was was not terribly wide, and it was oriented in a southwest/northeast direction, and went off in the direction of where I encountered aforementioned conditions.
The NWS Chicago completed a survey of this area the following day and found that an EF-2 moved from south of Manhattan to southwest of Frankfort. The end-point and end-time of the tornado in their survey was where I was located (Based on GFS data) when over-taken and experiencing the aforementioned conditions. Thus, as I thought at the time might be the case, I likely was either very close to or directly hit by the weakening tornado.
The day of...I was prepared to chase, but decided not to head south out of the Chicago metro area as my home turf was also in the highest risk area. Severe storms quickly developed near the aforementioned border region during the mid-morning hours. These storms quickly became supercells as they raced northeast. Storms had made it to about a DeKalb-Peoria-St. Louis line when numerous tornado warning started to be issued. Shortly after warnings were issued, what ended up being a long track EF-4 tornado moved through Washington, IL. At this point up north where I was at home activity was becoming increasingly linear, thus I made a last minute decision to make the drive to the far southern suburbs of Chicago. My target was where the Washington tornadic supercell would likely track, somewhere in the Joliet-Frankfort area, which is along the rural/urban border of the metro area. I knew waiting to the last minute would be cutting it close, but it was worth a try. Driving down to my target area I pretty much drove through the core of a severe warned line of storms almost the whole way down, which ended up being slightly over an hour drive. I encountered some wind, wind damage and blocked roads along the way, which added some time to the trip.
I made it down to just southwest of Frankfort, IL just as the tornadic supercell was moving in. All I was able to see was a wall of rain, with signs of wrapping rain curtains. I then turned east on Seger Rd where I was over taken by the storm. Wrapping rain curtains where now clearly visible at my location, in addition to debris, and changes in wind direction. I continued to push east where I then encountered damaging inflow winds, likely in the range of 70-80MPH, with damage occurring all around and flying debris. Conditions eventually improved after a while.
After the storm passed I re-traced my drive back west to check out damage from the inflow and see if there was any tornado damage. There was widespread tree damage, some damage to houses/outbuildings and of misc things in the area that was affected by the inflow winds. Zig-zagging around to the west I hit the tornado path. Houses and outbuildings were damaged and several high tension metal electrical towers were folded over. The damage was was not terribly wide, and it was oriented in a southwest/northeast direction, and went off in the direction of where I encountered aforementioned conditions.
The NWS Chicago completed a survey of this area the following day and found that an EF-2 moved from south of Manhattan to southwest of Frankfort. The end-point and end-time of the tornado in their survey was where I was located (Based on GFS data) when over-taken and experiencing the aforementioned conditions. Thus, as I thought at the time might be the case, I likely was either very close to or directly hit by the weakening tornado.
| Chase Statistics: Tornadoes: 1 Wind: 70-80MPH Hail: 0.25" (Pea size) | SPC Severe Weather Reports:  |
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