July 11, 2020: Severe Storms Produce Straight-Line Wind Damage Across Portions of North and Central Illinois

Overview

Fast Facts:

A strong thunderstorm complex formed in Iowa before moving through portions of northern and central Illinois during the evening of Saturday, July 11th.
While the strongest wind gusts and more widespread wind damage were concentrated farther to the west and south, several reports of wind damage were received in Lee, La Salle, Livingston, Kankakee, and Iroquois counties as these storms rolled through.
The most significant damage reports were limited to downed trees and power lines.

Recap of Severe Weather Reports

Storm Reports
Additional Info

Storm Reports

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
1236 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2020

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

0830 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NELSON                  41.80N 89.60W
07/11/2020                   LEE                IL   PUBLIC

            VIDEO SHARED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA SHOWS DAMAGE
            TO POWER LINES IN NELSON. RELAYED BY LOCAL
            RADIO STATION.

0835 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MENDOTA                 41.55N 89.12W
07/11/2020                   LA SALLE           IL   NWS EMPLOYEE

            NUMEROUS SMALL TREE LIMBS BLOWN DOWN, A FEW
            LIMBS 6 INCHES IN DIAMETER.

0835 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 N LA SALLE            41.35N 89.09W
07/11/2020                   LA SALLE           IL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            TREES AND POWERLINE DOWNED VIA SCANNER
            TRAFFIC.

0835 PM     TSTM WND GST     MENDOTA                 41.55N 89.12W
07/11/2020  E60 MPH          LA SALLE           IL   PUBLIC

            PUBLIC REPORT OF ESTIMATED 60-70MPH WIND
            GUSTS IN MENDOTA.

0915 PM     TSTM WND GST     5 SSW PONTIAC           40.82N 88.68W
07/11/2020  M51 MPH          LIVINGSTON         IL   PUBLIC

            PRIVATE WEATHER STATION OBSERVED GUSTS TO
            51MPH.

0919 PM     TSTM WND DMG     PONTIAC                 40.88N 88.63W
07/11/2020                   LIVINGSTON         IL   PUBLIC

            MULTIPLE PUBLIC REPORTS OF TREES DOWN AROUND
            TOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

0924 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FAIRBURY                40.74N 88.52W
07/11/2020                   LIVINGSTON         IL   PUBLIC

            MULTIPLE PUBLIC REPORTS OF TREES AND POWER
            LINES DOWN AROUND TOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY
            RADAR.

0925 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FAIRBURY                40.75N 88.51W
07/11/2020                   LIVINGSTON         IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            8-12 INCH DIAMETER LIMBS DOWN IN FAIRBURY.
            TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

0949 PM     TSTM WND DMG     REDDICK                 41.10N 88.25W
07/11/2020                   KANKAKEE           IL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            REDDICK FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTS POWER LINES
            DOWNED. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

0954 PM     HEAVY RAIN       2 WNW OTTAWA            41.37N 88.88W
07/11/2020  M1.88 INCH       LA SALLE           IL   PUBLIC

            PRIVATE WEATHER STATION RECORDED 1.83 INCHES
            OF RAINFALL 1 HOUR, MOST OCCURRED IN LESS
            THAN 30 MINUTES.

0955 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 SE BRAIDWOOD          41.26N 88.20W
07/11/2020  E60 MPH          WILL               IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            RELAYED VIA SPOTTER NETWORK.

1000 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ONARGA                  40.71N 88.00W
07/11/2020                   IROQUOIS           IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            POWER LINE DOWN IN EAST ONARGA. TIME
            ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

1004 PM     HEAVY RAIN       1 NNE MARSEILLES        41.35N 88.70W
07/11/2020  M1.81 INCH       LA SALLE           IL   PUBLIC

            PRIVATE WEATHER STATION RECORDED 1.81 INCHES
            OF RAIN IN 1 HOUR, MOST OCCURRED IN LESS
            THAN 30 MINUTES.

1017 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 NNW CISSNA PARK       40.59N 87.90W
07/11/2020  M68 MPH          IROQUOIS           IL   PUBLIC

            PRIVATE WEATHER STATION RECORDED 68MPH WIND
            GUST.

1020 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NE LIMESTONE          41.16N 87.94W
07/11/2020                   KANKAKEE           IL   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            LARGE TREE IN ROADWAY ON RT 113 WEST OF
            3000W.

Additional Information

Northwest Illinois (NWS Quad Cities)
Central Illinois (NWS Central Illinois)
Southern Wisconsin (NWS Milwaukee)
Northern Indiana (NWS Northern Indiana)
Central Indiana (NWS Indianapolis)
NWS Chicago Past Events Page

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Additional recaps can be found on the NWS Chicago Past Events Page