A few strong to severe thunderstorms moved across parts of northern Illinois during the afternoon hours of June 8th.
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.
A few strong to severe thunderstorms moved across parts of northern Illinois during the afternoon hours of June 8th.
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 Jun 8, 2:00 PM CST, 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
300 PM CDT MON JUN 8 2009
.MESOSCALE DISCUSSION...
257 PM CDT
WELL DEFINED UPPER VORT MAX PER WATER VAPOR IMAGERY CONTINUES TO
TRACK ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN/FAR NORTHERN ILLINOIS EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON. SURFACE WARM FRONT APPEARS TO HAVE LIFTED NORTH OF THE
FORECAST AREA ALTHOUGH APPEARS TO BE HUNG UP ACROSS EXTREME
NORTHEAST ILLINOIS CLOSER TO LAKE MICHIGAN. A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS EARLY THIS
AFTERNOON WHICH DID PRODUCE SOME WIND GUSTS INTO THE 40 TO 50 MPH
RANGE BUT HAVE SINCE WEAKENED. ANOTHER AREA OF MORE CONCENTRATED
CONVECTION HAS BEEN IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF THE UPPER LEVEL
VORT MAX MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. AS THIS UPPER LEVEL
SHORT WAVE CONTINUES TO RAPIDLY SHIFT EASTWARD ACROSS NORTHERN
ILLINOIS AND SOUTHERN WISCONSIN...THE GREATEST SYNOPTIC ASCENT
SHOULD BE QUICKLY MOVING EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA BY THE 22Z-23Z
TIME FRAME. UNTIL THIS TIME...WILL HAVE A MARGINAL SEVERE THREAT
ESPECIALLY ACROSS EASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. FRONTAL
CONVERGENCE IS NOT ALL THAT STRONG WITH THE COLD FRONT AND SEVERE
THREAT SHOULD RAPIDLY DIMINISH TOWARD 23Z AS UPPER SUPPORT SHIFTS
OFF TO THE EAST. MAY STILL HAVE SOME SCATTERED SHOWERS/ISOLD
THUNDER WITH THE COLD THROUGH EARLY EVENING BUT SEVERE POTENTIAL
AFTER 23Z SEEMS MINIMAL. SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80...THE UPPER LEVEL
FORCING IS NOT AS PRONOUNCED ALTHOUGH SOME WEAK TO MODERATE
INSTABILITY WILL BE IN PLACE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
AFTERNOON. CANNOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT AN ISOLD SEVERE THREAT
ACROSS MAINLY NWRN INDIANA COUNTIES OVER NEXT FEW HOURS BUT FEEL
THE THREAT IS OVERALL LOW.
MARSILI
&&
.AVIATION...
1235 PM CDT
1800 UTC TAFS...MAIN TAF ISSUES FOR THIS FORECAST CYCLE INCLUDE
CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL/TIMING THIS AFTERNOON...COLD FROPA AND
ASSOCIATED WIND/CLOUDS EARLY THIS EVENING AND POST FRONTAL CEILING
TRENDS OVERNIGHT.
AT 17Z...SURFACE LOW PRESSURE ACROSS FAR SOUTHWESTERN WI WITH WARM
FRONT EXTENDING NORTH OF TERMINALS THROUGH MCHENRY/LAKE COUNTIES OF
NORTHEAST IL. SURFACE LOW EXPECTED TO PROPAGATE EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN
WI NEXT SEVERAL HOURS IN RESPONSE TO SHARP MID LEVEL SHORT WAVE
MOVING FROM EASTERN IA INTO SOUTHERN WI/NORTHERN IL. THINNING OF
HIGH/MID CLOUDS HAS LED TO DESTABILIZATION ACROSS WARM SECTOR OF
NORTHERN IL...INCREASING POTENTIAL FOR CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT AHEAD
OF COLD FRONT. DETAILS OF CONVECTIVE EVOLUTION STILL A BIT UNCLEAR
AS INITIAL FOCUS OF BEST LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE APPEARS TO BE ALONG
PRE-FRONTAL TROUGH MOVING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL IL AT THIS HOUR.
ADDITIONAL CELLS DEVELOPING BACK TOWARD THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER
HOWEVER SUGGESTING COMBINATION OF MID LEVEL VORT/SURFACE COLD
FRONTAL APPROACH WILL MAINTAIN THREAT OF SCATTERED CONVECTION
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. SOME POTENTIAL FOR STRONG/SEVERE STORMS GIVEN
AMPLE MID LEVEL WINDS AND MLCAPES APPROACHING 1500 J/KG PER RUC/SPC
MESOANALYSIS.
TSTM THREAT SHOULD END AS MID LEVEL WAVE MOVES OFF TO THE EAST BY
EARLY EVENING...AND SFC COLD FRONT MOVES WEST TO EAST ACROSS
TERMINALS WITH WIND SHIFT TO WEST/NORTHWEST DURING THE EARLY EVENING
HOURS. EXTENSIVE AREA OF MVFR STRATOCU ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH
SOME ISOLATED IFR CIGS ACROSS UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 12Z WRF/GFS
RUNS REMAIN STEADFAST IN BRINING LOW LEVEL SATURATED AIR ACROSS
REGION OVERNIGHT...THOUGH CONFIDENCE IN IFR CONDITIONS VERY LOW AND
THUS HAVE BACKED OFF FROM EARLIER FORECASTS. HAVE ALSO PULLED
DRIZZLE AS MID LEVEL SUBSIDENCE IN WAKE OF DEPARTING SHORT WAVE
NOT EXPECTED TO SUPPLY LIFT OVER LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TO PRODUCE
PRECIP. COOL ADVECTION AND MODEST DRYING MAY LEAD TO SOME MVFR HAZE
DURING THE OVERNIGHT/EARLY MORNING HOURS...THOUGH HAVE KEPT VSBYS IN
HIGH MVFR RANGE WITH BETTER POTENTIAL FARTHER WEST/NORTH WHERE WINDS
DIMINISH MORE IN VICINITY OF SURFACE HIGH. EXPECT MVFR STRATOCU
SHOULD LIFT/SCATTER AFTER SUNRISE TUESDAY MORNING AS HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS ACROSS AREA. FOR 30 HOUR KORD TERMINAL...HAVE INDICATED A
LAKE BREEZE BY EARLY AFTERNOON AS LIGHT GRADIENT SHOULD SUPPORT
WINDS TURNING NORTHEAST OFF THE LAKE.
RATZER
&&
.MARINE...
221 PM CDT
MAIN FOCUS OF MARINE FORECAST IS IN NEAR TERM AS LOW PRESSURE
MOVES ACROSS SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN THIS EVENING. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FAR SOUTH THROUGH 7 PM CDT. NON-
CONVECTIVE WINDS OVER IL/IND LAND AREAS ADJACENT TO LAKE
CURRENTLY GUSTING TO 30+ KNOTS IN TIGHTER GRADIENT IN SOUTHEAST
QUADRANT OF LOW...WITH GREATEST PRESSURE RISE/FALL COUPLET MOVING
ACROSS FAR SOUTHERN LM NEXT FEW HOURS. TIGHTER GRADIENT ON NORTH
SIDE OF LOW ALSO PRODUCING GUSTY EASTERLY WINDS OVER FAR NORTHERN
LAKE MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON...WITH GUSTS AROUND 30 KNOTS ALONG
UPPER PENINSULA SHORE. LOW WILL TRAVEL TO THE EASTERN LAKES
TUESDAY MORNING WITH HIGH PRESSURE SPREADING ACROSS THE WESTERN
LAKES DURING THE DAY. THIS WILL ALLOW WINDS TO QUICKLY DIMINISH
LATE TONIGHT/TUESDAY. GRADIENT WILL REMAIN FAIRLY LIGHT ACROSS THE
NORTHERN LAKES THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK.
RATZER
&&
.LOT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IL...NONE.
IN...NONE.
LM...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY...NEARSHORE WATERS
UNTIL 7 PM MONDAY.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL 1108 AM CDT MON JUN 8 2009 ILZ003>006-008-010>014-019>023-032-033-039-INZ001-002-010-011-019- 091615- WINNEBAGO-BOONE-MCHENRY-LAKE ILLINOIS-OGLE-LEE-DE KALB-KANE- DUPAGE-COOK-LA SALLE-KENDALL-GRUNDY-WILL-KANKAKEE-LIVINGSTON- IROQUOIS-FORD-LAKE INDIANA-PORTER-NEWTON-JASPER-BENTON- 1108 AM CDT MON JUN 8 2009 /1208 PM EDT MON JUN 8 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS... NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED: THUNDERSTORMS...THE STRONGEST STORMS MAY PRODUCE: HAIL TO THE SIZE OF QUARTERS. DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. HEAVY RAINFALL...CAUSING LOCAL FLOODING AREAS AFFECTED AND TIMING: THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP EARLY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS...AND BY THE EARLY TO MID AFTERNOON HOURS ACROSS NORTHWEST INDIANA. SOME OF THE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON MAY BE SEVERE. THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH DURING THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. DISCUSSION: THE COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS DIMINISHED ACROSS THE AREA. HOWEVER...A VIGOROUS UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL COMBINE WITH A COLD FRONT ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO PRODUCE MORE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. THE COMBINATION OF DAYTIME INSTABILITY AND FAVORABLE WIND SHEAR PROFILES SHOULD LEAD TO RAPID STORM ORGANIZATION EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND A POTENTIAL OF SEVERE WEATHER FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS ALONG WITH A POTENTIAL FOR BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THERE IS ANOTHER CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO LMZ740>745-091615- WINTHROP HARBOR TO WILMETTE HARBOR- WILMETTE HARBOR TO NORTHERLY ISLAND- NORTHERLY ISLAND TO CALUMET HARBOR-CALUMET HARBOR TO GARY- GARY TO BURNS HARBOR-BURNS HARBOR TO MICHIGAN CITY- 1108 AM CDT MON JUN 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE ILLINOIS NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN AND THE INDIANA NEARSHORE WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TODAY INTO THIS EVENING...SOME MAY BE SEVERE WITH WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 KNOTS AND LARGE HAIL. OUTSIDE OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS...HAZARDOUS WINDS FOR SMALL CRAFT ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO LMZ080-261-362-364-366-563-565-567-669-671-673-675-777-779-868- 870-872-874-876-878-091615- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM MICHIGAN CITY IN TO ST. JOSEPH MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SEUL CHOIX POINT TO ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN SOUTH OF A LINE FROM SEUL CHOIX POINT TO THE MACKINAC BRIDGE AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM CHARLEVOIX MI TO SOUTH FOX ISLAND 5 NM OFFSHORE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM CHARLEVOIX TO POINT BETSIE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM POINT BETSIE TO MANISTEE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM ROCK ISLAND PASSAGE TO STURGEON BAY WI- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM STURGEON BAY TO TWO RIVERS WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM TOW RIVERS TO SHEBOYGAN WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SHEBOYGAN TO PORT WASHINGTON WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM PORT WASHINGTON TO NORTH POINT LIGHT WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM NORTH POINT LIGHT TO WIND POINT WI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WIND POINT WI TO WINTHROP HARBOR IL 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WINTHROP HARBOR TO WILMETTE HARBOR IL 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WILMETTE HARBOR IL TO MICHIGAN CITY IN 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM PENTWATER TO MANISTEE MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM WHITEHALL TO PENTWATER MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM GRAND HAVEN TO WHITEHALL MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM HOLLAND TO GRAND HAVEN MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM SOUTH HAVEN TO HOLLAND MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- LAKE MICHIGAN FROM ST. JOSEPH TO SOUTH HAVEN MI 5 NM OFFSHORE TO MID LAKE- 1108 AM CDT MON JUN 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE OPEN WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. AREAS OF DENSE FOG ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE OPEN WATERS OF LAKE MICHIGAN THROUGH MID AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TODAY AND TONIGHT...WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 50 KNOTS WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. && COMPLETE FORECAST INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE NWS CHICAGO WEBPAGE: WEATHER.GOV/CHICAGO MARSILI
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
929 AM CDT MON JUN 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0928 AM HEAVY RAIN W HARVARD 42.42N 88.62W
06/08/2009 M1.40 INCH MCHENRY IL TRAINED SPOTTER
COCORAHS OBSERVER. STORM TOTAL.
&&
ACSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
201 PM CDT MON JUN 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0156 PM TSTM WND GST ROCHELLE 41.92N 89.06W
06/08/2009 M42 MPH OGLE IL AWOS
&&
ACSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
202 PM CDT MON JUN 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0156 PM TSTM WND GST ROCHELLE 41.92N 89.06W
06/08/2009 M48.00 MPH OGLE IL AWOS
&&
ACSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
209 PM CDT MON JUN 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0117 PM NON-TSTM WND GST CHICAGO 41.88N 87.63W
06/08/2009 M48 MPH COOK IL BROADCAST MEDIA
REPORTED FROM THE BANK OF AMERICA BUILDING DOWNTOWN. 135
S. LASALLE
&&
ACSThe Milwaukee radar (KMKX), 89 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:29 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree was blown down blocking traffic on Mulford Road just north of Harrison Avenue.
Nickel to quarter size hail was reported on Route 59.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, June 2009
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: 174590, 174591.