610
ABUS34 KCHI 251738
PNSCHI

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO IL
1230 PM CDT THU OCT 25 2001

...NO EVIDENCE OF TORNADOES IN NORTHEAST ILLINOIS OR FAR NORTHWEST
INDIANA WEDNESDAY...

A SQAULL LINE PRODUCED STRONG WINDS AS IT ROARED THROUGH NORTHEAST
ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. OUTFLOW FROM
THE THUNDERSTORMS...ALSO KNOWN AS STRAIGHT-LINE WIND...WAS
GENERALLY 40 TO 55 MPH ACROSS WILL...SOUTHERN
COOK...KANKAKEE...FORD...AND IROQUOIS COUNTIES IN ILLINOIS...AND
LAKE...PORTER...NEWTON...JASPER...AND BENTON COUNTIES IN INDIANA.
THERE WERE BRIEF...ISOLATED...POCKETS OF MORE INTENSE WINDS...OR
MICROBURSTS THAT HIT HAMMOND INDIANA...BOURBONNAIS ILLINOIS...AND
FROM NEAR BOSWELL TO OXFORD IN BENTON COUNTY.

INFORMATION FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES...DOPPLER RADAR
DATA...AND A STORM DAMAGE SURVEY...DOES NOT SHOW ANY CONCLUSIVE
EVIDENCE OF TORNADOES AT ANY OF THESE LOCATIONS.

AT HAMMOND...WIND UPROOTED 1 TREE...KNOCKED DOWN SEVERAL LARGE
LIMBS...WHICH TOOK OUT POWER LINES...DAMAGED A METAL BUILDING AND
SIGN AT A SHOPPING CENTER...AND CAUSED MINOR DAMAGE TO SHINGLES AND
SIDING ON A COUPLE A HOUSES. THE DAMAGE PATH WAS ABOUT 200 FEET
WIDE AND 1/2 MILE LONG.

IN BOURBONNAIS...THE ROOF WAS PEELED OFF A BREAD STORE.

IN BENTON COUNTY...DAMAGE WAS ALONG A PATH AROUND 1/2 MILE TO 1
MILE WIDE AND ABOUT 10 MILES LONG. TREES AND FARM OUTBUILDINGS WERE
DAMAGED. THE MOST INTENSE DAMAGE WAS WAS AT A FARM 1 1/2 MILES
NORTH OF OXFORD WHERE A LARGE TOOL SHED WAS DESTROYED...MANY TREES
WERE DAMAGED...POWER POLES WERE SNAPPED AND THERE WAS ROOF DAMAGE
TO A FARM HOUSE.

WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN 65 TO 75 MPH AT HAMMOND AND
BOURBONNAIS AND POSSIBLY AS HIGH AS 80 MPH NEAR OXFORD.

ALLSOPP