Tornado and Hail in Illinois, June 18, 1998

A squall line moved east across north central and northeast Illinois causing widespread wind damage to trees and power lines. In Winnebago County, there were numerous trees and tree limbs downed in Loves Park and Machesney Park and the roof was torn off a sheet metal business. A small, brief tornado occurred in a field between Nelson and Dixon in Lee County. Golfball size hail was reported at the La Salle/Putnam County line and trees and utility poles were downed in western La Salle County. In Boone County, at Oak Lawn mobile home park at Poplar Grove many trees and limbs were blown down. Mobile homes and vehicles were damaged. A 120 year old, landmark barn was destroyed between Capron and Poplar Grove. Tree limbs and power lines were reported to be blown down in De Kalb and McHenry Counties. In Kane County trees were damaged in several towns along Highway 25. In Kendall County, a ham radio operator/storm spotter in Sandwich recorded a 74 mph wind gust and a large tree fell on a house in Yorkville. In Will County, a 70 mph wind gust was recorded at the NWS office in Romeoville. A bleacher was blown over in Homer Township. Wind gusts blew vehicles off I-80 just east of I-55 in Joliet. In Du Page County the scoreboard was destroyed at Naperville North High School and trees were downed in Bolingbrook. In Lake County a mobile home was blown over at Wadsworth. In Cook County, observers measured a 58 mph wind gust on the west side of Chicago and a 64 mph wind gust in Midlothian. Trees were damaged in the north suburbs of Glencoe, Wilmette and Winetka. The gym roof at Field School in Northbrook was peeled off. Four planes were damaged at Palwaukee Airport. In the west and south suburbs, the roof of a transmission shop was damaged in Bridgeview. Trees were blown down in Brookfield and Hodgkins. Siding on houses and fences were also damaged. In Evergreen Park a tree fell, damaging 2 houses. A 22 year old man was seriously injured when a tree fell on him in Chicago. Funnel clouds were spotted in Lake County and waterspouts were seen east of Wilmette. Damage to power lines resulted in 156,000 customers losing power.