Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 18, 2000

After a series of hail producing storms pounded northern Illinois, the last storm in the line ahead of an approaching cold front took on a small bow echo and swept across the north suburbs of Chicago. The first report of damage was a barn flattened at Pingree Grove. Five cars in the barn were damaged. There were downed trees and power lines in the area as well. A spotter in Carpentersville measured a 73 mph wind gust. Doors were blown in at a business in Elgin. Trees were down in Elgin and Sleepy Hollow. The storm did considerable damage along the Lake-Cook County line - in Arlington Heights, Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wheeling, and Northbrook. Thousands of large tree limbs and trees were downed smashing cars and homes. Some of the trees were 80 to 100 years old. A newspaper report said there were 1000 trees down in Highland Park alone. In Deerfield the hose tower roof was blown off the fire station. The police communications tower was bent in half at Highland Park. Over 100,000 customers were without power. Windows were blown out at the Allstate Insurance building in Northbrook. A wind gust to 84 mph was measured at the Palwaukee Airport in Wheeling (PWK) at 1542 CST. The canopy at the Edens (I-94) toll plaza was damaged. State Police reported several cars had windows broken on the tollway near Lake-Cook Road. Also on the tollway, a pick-up truck with a 5th wheel trailer was overturned in Deerfield . On I-294, a van was overturned by winds and trees were uprooted near Willow Road. A 69 year old man was killed when a tree fell on his car in Wilmette.