Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 8, 2000

A line of thunderstorms moved east from Lasalle County and developed a bow echo as it moved through Grundy, northern Livingston, Will, southern Cook and Kankakee Counties. It was estimated that 270,000 customers lost power as a result of the storms in northern Illinois. The first report of damage was near Dana in far southern LaSalle County. A couple machine sheds were destroyed and tree limbs were blown down. Two semis were overturned on highway 251 west of Dana. In eastern LaSalle County limbs and power lines were blown down at Seneca. The storms did over $50,000 in damage in Grundy County. In Kinsman large trees and branches were blown down. Trees and power poles were blown down west of Mazon. In Mazon large branches were blown down and a camper trailer was overturned. Southeast of Mazon parts of roofs, siding and underpinning was peeled of homes and the awning was blown off a home. The roof of a tool shed was blown off. In Morris trees and branches were down causing roof damage to homes and knocking down power lines. A tool shed was destroyed at one house and siding was peeled off another house. Near South Wilmington a corn crib was destroyed and farm equipment was damamged.In Livingston County, one trailer of a dobule trailer semi was overturned on I-55 near Dwight. Power poles were blown down south of Campus. In Will County, tree limbs were blown down in Channahon. A truck was overturned at I-80 and I-55 near Channahon and another was overturned at Route 59 and 126 in Plainfield. Near Manhattan, pole buildings were blown down, windows were broken at a farm house and 2 by 4s were driven into the side of the house. Trees and large limbs were blown down at New Lenox, 7 miles east of Lockport in Homer Township, Frankfort, Mokena and Peotone. In Frankfort, trees were blown down on houses causing an estimated $840,000 in damages. Two homes were destroyed, 2 had major damage and another 65 had minor to considerable damage. Two homes under construction were destroyed. At Peotone, doors were blown in at a car wash, glass was broken at a greenhouse, there was damage to the roof of a fire station, and a truck was overturned on I-57 and Peotone road. In Kankakee County, tree limbs knocked down power lines at Herscher. Large trees were blown down or uprooted in Kankakee and Aroma Park. In Cook County there was extensive damage in the south suburbs and the south side of Chicago. Trees and large branches were blown down causing power outages and damage to homes. Areas hit by the storm were Orland Park, Matteson, Stickney, Oak Lawn, Chicago Heights, Lansing, Glenwood, Hazel Crest, Lyons Midlothian, Crestwood, and Calumet City. At Chicago Heights a tree came through the roof of a restaurant. At Lansing a plane was flipped over at the airport. There was roof damage to businesses in Matteson. In Iroquois Couty a large tree fell on a house near Wellington.