Strong thunderstorms formed over Streamwood and Hanover Park during the late afternoon hours of May 16th.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS LOT wrote it up.
Strong thunderstorms formed over Streamwood and Hanover Park during the late afternoon hours of May 16th.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Chicago, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 16, 1:15 PM CST, 3 hours 31 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 215 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2007 .DISCUSSION FOR AFTERNOON GRIDS/ZONES... 215 AM CDT WED MAIN CONCERN FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS WILL CENTER AROUND CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL. PER LATEST SATELLITE AND RADAR IMAGERY...SCT SHRA/ISOL TS ARE DEVELOPING INVOF THE COLD POOL/VORT MAX DIVING SWD THROUGH WISCONSIN. OVER NRN IL...SFC FLOW REMAINS ANTICYCLONIC AND SKIES ARE MOSTLY CLEAR...BUT A WEAK SFC TROF ASSD WITH THE UPPER VORT MAX IS MOVING THROUGH SWRN WISCONSIN AND WILL HELP ENHANCE LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE TO COINCIDE WITH THE UPPER DESTABILIZATION AND STEEPENING UPPER LAPSE RATES INVOF THE COLD POOL. MAIN CONCERNS TO SVR POTENTIAL WILL BE MARGINAL SEVERE HAIL...BUT WITH FREEZING LEVELS ONLY ARND 6KFT...MUCH OF THE HAIL WILL BE SUB SEVERE. PER THE LATEST GUIDANCE...PARTICULARLY THE LATEST NAM...AND TIMING OF SATELLITE TRENDS...THE SVR POTENTIAL WILL HAVE A RELATIVELY SHORT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY SINCE THE PASSING OF THE UPPER VORT WILL OCCUR JUST AFTER THE TIME OF MAX HEATING. WITH THE SETTING SUN...THE SVR POTENTIAL SHOULD DECREASE RAPIDLY AND ONLY SOME LINGERING SHRA IS LIKELY FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN ON THE COOLER SIDE...BUT DRY...TOMORROW AS UPPER TROUGHING REMAINS OVER THE REGION. HIGH PRESSURE ASSOCIATED WITH A CONTINENTAL/POLAR AIR MASS...INITIALLY OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS...WILL BEGIN TO BUILD OVER THE CWA ON FRIDAY. THIS WILL USHER IN A BRIEF PERIOD OF INCREASING TEMPS AND LOW POPS. TEMPS SHOULD REBOUND INTO THE LOW 80S BY SATURDAY...BUT CHANGE IS EXPECTED FOR SUNDAY. HAVE GENERALLY FOLLOWED THE IDEA OF THE 12Z GFS IN DROPPING SWD ANOTHER COLD FRONT THROUGH WISCONSIN AND THE WRN LAKES. GIVEN THE STRENGTH OF THE SFC HIGH THAT WILL BE IN PLACE...HAVE SLOWED DOWN THE PROGRESSION OF THE FRONT...BRINGING FROPA THROUGH THE CWA AROUND MIDDAY SUNDAY. TEMPS SHOULD DROP SHARPLY ON SUNDAY...PARTICULARLY FOR LOCATIONS INFO LAKE MICHIGAN. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE LONG TERM FORECAST...HAVE GONE WITH A BLEND OF THE NCEP MANUAL PROGS AND THE 12Z GFS. THIS GUIDANCE IS SUGGESTING THAT THE FRONT WILL QUICKLY MOVE BACK NED AS A WARM FRONT ON MONDAY IN RESPONSE TO LEE TROUGHING DEVELOPING OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS. TEMPS SHOULD QUICKLY REBOUND BACK INTO THE 80S FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. KREIN && .AVIATION DISCUSSION REGARDING 18Z TAFS... 1245 PM CDT WED MAIN CONCERN THIS AFTERNOON WILL BE DVLPMT OF SHALLOW TOPPED TSTMS. CURRENT VIS SATLT IMAGERY SHOWS CLR SKIES OVR AREA ATTM...HOWEVER...CU FIELD IS DVLPG RAPIDLY UPSTREAM OVR IN AN ARC FROM NR EAU-LSE-RST-N OF CID. EXPECT THIS BAND TO INCRS IN DEPTH AND COVG THROUGH MID AFTN AS AIR MASS DESTABILIZES DUE TO SFC HEATING AND ADVECTION OF COLD AIR ALOFT. IN ADDITION SATLT IMAGERY SHOWS SIG SHORT WAVE DROPPING SWD ACROSS UPR MIDWEST...WITH UPR LVL CIRCULATION CENTER NR DLH AT 17Z. THESE FEATURES HAVE INCREASED THE THREAT OF TSTMS ACROSS TERMINAL AREA FOR LATE THIS AFTN-ERLY EVENING. FCST SOUNDINGS FOR THIS AFTN-ERLY EVENING SUGGEST A THREAT OF SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF WIND GUSTS TO NR 40 KTS IN STGR STORMS. GREATEST THREAT FOR THUNDER WILL BE OVR N CNTRL IL...WITH DCRSG THREAT HEADING SEWD ACROSS NERN IL AND NWRN IND. FOR THIS REASON...HAVE GONE WITH TEMPO THUNDER AT RFD/DPA...BUT SCALED BACK A BIT TO VCTS AS ACTUAL STMS MAY BCM MORE ISOLD BY THE TIME THEY REACH CHI-GYY AREAS LATE IN THE DAY. XCP IN AND NR SHWRS/TSTMS THIS AFTN...EXPECT VFR CONDS. WINDS TO RMN FROM NNW IN 10-15 KT RANGE THIS AFTN...THEN TURN MORE NNELY BLO 10 KTS THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. MERZLOCK && .MARINE DISCUSSION... 155 PM CDT WED LOW PRESSURE NEAR 29.60 INCHES OVER UPSTATE NEW YORK WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH EAST TODAY WHILE A SECONDARY TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE AVERAGING 30.00 INCHES DROPS SOUTHEAST ACROSS WISCONSIN...AND ACROSS SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN THIS EVENING. THIS TROUGH WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY THURSDAY AS AN AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE NEAR 30.35 INCHES BUILDS ACROSS THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES BY THURSDAY EVENING. THIS AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL THEN CONTINUE SOUTHEASTWARD TO THE OHIO RIVER BY LATE FRIDAY AS ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE OF 29.70 INCHES ORGANIZES OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS BY FRIDAY NIGHT. A STRONG COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS LOW WILL PUSH SOUTH ACROSS LAKE MICHIGAN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY NIGHT...BRINGING AN ABRUPT WIND SHIFT TO NORTH AND RAPID INCREASE IN WIND SPEED. MERZLOCK && .LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... .IL...NONE. .IN...NONE. .LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH 15Z TODAY. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 330 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2007 ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>022-023-032-033-039-INZ001-002-010-011- 019-170930- WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE IL-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE-DU PAGE-COOK- LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON-IROQUOIS-FORD- LAKE IN-PORTER-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON- 330 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2007 THIS PORTION OF THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST ILLINOIS...AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. .DAY ONE... TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE PENNY TO NICKEL SIZED HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE THAT SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE BRIEF TORNADOES. THE MAIN RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE UNTIL SHORTLY AFTER SUNSET. THERE IS A CONTINUES CHANCE OF ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO LMZ740>745-766-170930- WINTHROP HARBOR IL TO MICHIGAN CITY IN- LAKE MICHIGAN- 330 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2007 THIS PORTION OF THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ILLINOIS AND INDIANA WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE... TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN TONIGHT. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND MAY ALSO INCLUDE SMALL HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 433 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2007 ILZ003>005-008-010>012-019>021-032-170000- BOONE-DE KALB-GRUNDY-KANE-KENDALL-LA SALLE-LEE-LIVINGSTON- MCHENRY-OGLE-WINNEBAGO- 433 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2007 ...FUNNEL CLOUDS MAY APPEAR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE FUNNEL CLOUDS THIS LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. VERY COLD AIR IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE AND THE HEAT FROM THE SUN HAS MADE THE ATMOSPHERE VERY UNSTABLE. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS AND SHOWERS MAY HAVE STRONG ENOUGH UPDRAFTS TO PRODUCE WALL CLOUDS AND FUNNEL CLOUDS. MOST OF THE TIME THE FUNNEL CLOUDS MAY REMAIN ALOFT BUT IF ONE TOUCHES THE GROUND IT BECOMES A TORNADO. BE ALERT FOR FUNNEL CLOUDS AND TAKE COVER IF THE FUNNEL CLOUD APPROACHES YOU. WHW
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
531 PM CDT WED MAY 16 2007
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0528 PM TSTM WND DMG HUNTLEY 42.17N 88.42W
05/16/2007 MCHENRY IL LAW ENFORCEMENT
POWER LINES DOWN IN PARTS OF CITY.
&&
BNThe Chicago radar (KLOT), 48 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:44 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Downburst winds produced tree damage north of Irving Park Road and west of Barrington Road. One tree was uprooted, one was snapped at the trunk and several large limbs were blown down. An observer measured a wind gust to 75 mph before his equipment stopped working.
A school roof was damaged just south of West Schaumburg Road.
Based on eyewitness accounts, a condensation funnel may not have been visible, but damage to roofs of three buildings in an industrial park along Wise Road just west of Mitchell Boulevard show signs of uplift but minimal winds. Only a couple of tree limbs were knocked down in the area. An eyewitness observed roofing material and insulation lifted into the air and swirling rapidly. Witnesses also observed rotation in a low hanging cloud base.
Large tree limbs blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Illinois, 2007Warnings in Illinois, May 2007
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 34651, 34649, 34648, 34650, 34647.