Community Corner

Weather Blog: See the Storm Damage at South

How are you? Send storm damage, power outage updates to melissat@patch.com.

8:30 p.m. Sunday

Photos of the damage from South High School have been added. You can see the downed trees and branches near the intersection of 63rd Street and Dunham Road and across the street. 

You can also see the bent tennis courts at South in the photos. 

Find out what's happening in Woodridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

5:30 p.m. Thursday 

Jack Knight, management analyst for the village, said the village is working with ComEd to ensure the company has service tickets written for Woodridge residents without power. 

Find out what's happening in Woodridgewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"At this point we don’t have any additional information regarding these residences," he wrote in an e-mail. 

10 a.m. Thursday 

District 99 released a press release Thursday morning addressing the damages and sustained after Tuesday's storm. 

A map from the National Weather Service indicates a tornado touched down at 8:31 p.m. in South High's neighborhood, cutting a path from 55th Street and Main Street to 63rd and Dunham Road (where South is located) to Woodward Avenue between 63rd and 75th Streets. 

You can see photos of damage done to trees in the area on that site. 

The release from District 99 said damage was done to both North and South High Schools. 

"Trees were damaged or lost, multiple roofs were impaired and other equipment, such as fencing, temporary bleachers and sheds, were affected," the release said. 

The most significant damage was to the fence surrounding South's tennis courts, which will need to be replaced. South's tennis camp has been relocated to other facilities for the rest of the summer. 

Officials are "surveying the damage at both schools and are in the process of receiving repair estimates from various contractors for insurance purposes," the release said. 

“There’s a lot of clean-up going on now, and we’re assessing the extent of the damage and the cost of the repairs,” said Marty Schack, director of physical plant and operations, in the release.

7:11 p.m. Wednesday 

NBC Chicago has reported much of the damage done by Tuesday's summer solstice storm was done by two tornadoes.

The first tornado touched down in Downers Grove at 8:31 p.m. near Sunnydale Park in Downers Grove. "It continued on a path for about two miles before lifting near 55th and Main streets," NBC reported. 

The other tornado touched down in Mount Prospect. 

NBC Chicago reported that "the track and field of Downers Grove South High School was hit hard, with goals and equipment strewn about."

2:50 p.m. Wednesday

The village sent out a breaking news e-mail Wednesday afternoon regarding debris pick-up. 

If you follow these guidelines, your debris will be picked up. Debris must be:

  • Neatly placed in your parkway.
  • Placed with the trunk end facing the street.
  • Placed in the driveway before 7 a.m. Friday. If you take your brush to the end of your driveway after that, you're out of luck. 

"Crews will be making only one pass down each street to collect brush. Crews will not be able to return to a street once they have completed a pass, so debris placed at the curb after 7 a.m. Friday morning will not be collected," the e-mail said. 

If you miss the pickup, you'll have another chance to drop off debris. 

The village will conduct a special brush drop-off event Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon at 71st Street just west of Woodridge Drive, roughly across 71st Street (on the south side of 71st) from Lake Harriet. 

It will cost $5 for the first carload ($3 same day returning car) and $10 per pickup truck, van or trailer. "Branches up to 5 inches in diameter will be accepted and proof of residency is required. 

The brush drop-off site will continue to run on its normal date of the second Saturday of the month for the balance of the season through October. For more information, please contact the Public Works Department at (630) 719-4753, the e-mail said. 

11:24 a.m. Wednesday

It's been confirmed, folks. The trampoline of this tweet is lying on the side of Woodward Avenue: @barberchicago The only casualty of the crazy #chicagotornadoes ? Our trampoline. Disappeared from the backyard like an alien abduction.

It's the featured photo for this story. 

Also, there's a report on Facebook that power is still out on Jonquil Avenue. 

Kim Kwarta Zawodniak Power still out on Jonquil on, public works also drive by without picking up our downed branches.

11:11 a.m. Wednesday

Megan Pettit, public relations and marketing manager for the , said there were two more major forms of damage after last night's storm. 

lost an oak tree and a willow tree fell on a bridge at busting some of the rails. The bridge is being repaired Wednesday. 

is still on, weather permitting. 

10:25 a.m. Wednesday

Jack Knight, management analyst for the village, said the focus is tree damage. Crews are out around Woodridge removing downed tree braches and other tree debris. 

There were about 2,000 customers without power last night during the storm, and most of that power has been restored, Knight said. 

There are fewer than 100 customers without power, he said. ComEd is working to restore that power but does not have a timetable as to when that power will be restored. 

8:17 a.m. Wednesday

Some big trees went down Tuesday night, but the roadways are "for the most part clear now," according to Kate Croteau, management analyst for the Woodridge Police Department. 

Croteau said that the stoplight at 83rd Street and Route 53 is still out. 

She also said she had not heard any comments about residents being unable to reach the department last night. The department recently switched to DU-COMM, closing its own dispatch center. 

Croteau said DU-COMM completely staffs its center for events like storms so that extra staff can handle the call volume. 

8 a.m. Wednesday

Morning, Woodridge! 

If you're still without power, you're not alone. The Chicago Tribune is reporting that as of 6 a.m., 267,000 ComEd customers were without power, down slightly from a peak of 288,000.

Two-thirds of those without power were in the northern suburbs, the Tribune reported.  

The Tribune also reported that ComEd said it could take days to restore power. 

ComEd's power map showed no change in the Bolingbrook region, which includes Woodridge. There are still 10,000-plus customers without power, according to the map, which is the highest number of customers the map shows. 

12 a.m. Wednesday

The ComEd map is still showing 10,000-plus customers without power in the Bolingbrook region. 

Heading to bed for now, but I'll check in with public works and police first thing tomorrow for more information about damage and clean up. 

11:23 p.m. Tuesday

Post-storm photos are now up. Thanks to Cari Brokamp! 

According to the ComEd power outage map, there are still 10,000+ customers without power in the Bolingbrook region. 

Tornado warning in the Chicago area have expired, and a severe thunderstorm watch scheduled to expire at 1 a.m. has been allowed to expire early, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

Definitely no shame in this (I was in a closet in my basement): 

@enystedt  I may or may not have been curled up by my bathroom with my purse, phone, and flashlight earlier tonight.

11 p.m. Tuesday

Patch's Cari Brokamp is reporting that there is no power south of 75th Street and the traffic light is out at 75th Street and Woodward Avenue. Storm aftermath photos to come, c/o Brokamp. 

10:53 p.m. Tuesday

Woodridge Tweeps, you have been amazing at updating me about storm aftermath. Thank you so much! 

@Merrinette @PatchWoodridge Uniat drove Boughton road, many branches down, but power seems to be up on the main road

Eek!! 

Merrinette @PatchWoodridge YW. I was at 95th and Naper Plainfield when the storm hit, sky the color of dirty lavender, cell phone lost signal.

10:46 p.m. Tuesday

The Chicago Tribune is reporting 270,000 people are without power around Chicago. 

Here are some Twitter updates around the Downers Grove South area: 

@MayorTully No traffic control device at 63rd and fairview

@MayorTully 63rd street impassable in front of downers grove south

10:16 p.m. Tuesday

Woodridge police dispatch report no major damage. Feel free to tell me about the storm aftermath in your area (photos welcome!) at melissat@patch.com. 

10:06 p.m. Tuesday

So much rain! According to the Chicago Tribune

"June already has shaped up to be one of the wettest on record."

Through Monday, 6.94 inches of rain had been recorded at Midway Airport, making this the third wettest start to June since observations started at the airport in 1928, according to WGN-TV meteorologist Tom Skilling.

A chance of rain is in the forecast at least through Friday as southerly winds pump warm, moisture-laden air into northeast Illinois, Skilling says."

10:03 p.m. Tuesday

RIP Barber trampoline 

@barberchicago The only casualty of the crazy #chicagotornadoes ? Our trampoline. Disappeared from the backyard like an alien abduction.

10 p.m. Tuesday

Lucky to still have power. Not the case for many in Woodridge: 

@barberchicago  Woodridge, too. 79th & Woodward RT @PatchWoodridge: ComEd reports 10,001-plus customers w/o power in the Bolingbrook region:patch.com/A-j6lf

9:50 p.m. Tuesday

Waiting on information from the police and fire departments about any major damage around Woodridge from the storm. 

From resident reports, multiple sirens went off by Woodridge Drive and 83rd Street as well as 75th Street and Lemont Road. Downed trees have also been reported. 

9:35 p.m. Tuesday

ComEd power outage map is showing 10,001 and above customers without power in the Bolingbrook region. 

The Chicago Tribune has also reported the following: "Wind gusts of 70 miles per hours were reported in Naperville at 8:30 p.m., 75 miles per hour in Wheaton at 8:28 p.m. and 60 miles per hour at the DuPage County Airport at 8:26 p.m., according to the Chicago Weather Center...

As of 8:30 p.m., 300 flights had been canceled at O'Hare International Airport, and delays of 1 hour or more were reported for both inbound and outbound flights, according to the Chicago Department of Aviation.

Delays of up to 2 hours were reported at Midway Airport, and more than 30 flights had been canceled."

9:28 p.m. Tuesday

Reader reaction from Facebook: 

Susan Janettas Visconti My husband and I just drove home after a dinner at Pappadeaux and there were so many trees and large branches down in Downers Grove. Also, the power or phone poles were hanging low over 63rd street at Downers Grove South HS. Be careful over there!

Susan Janettas Visconti I should add, the sky was glowing red over the South East corner of 63rd and Main Street in Downers. We didn't stop to see why as we were headed home to where the kids were. It would glow red, then stop then glow bright red again. I'm guessing a power line was down.

9:23 p.m. Tuesday

The National Weather Service reports a severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect in DuPage County until 1 a.m. Stronger storms can produce large hail, strong winds, frequent lightning and heavy downpours. 

9:09 p.m. Tuesday

It's still early to tell, but reports of downed trees in Bolingbrook and funnel clouds in Naperville have come in following a strong line of storms that passed through the Woodridge area Tuesday night. 

The worst of the storm passed through the area between 8 and 9 p.m. 

The Chicago Tribune has reported that "funnel clouds were spotted about 7:30 p.m. in Naperville and about 7:05 p.m. five miles west of Grayslake in Lake County, according to the National Weather Service. About 8:05 p.m., another funnel cloud was spotted about four miles north-northwest of Sugar Grove in Kane County."

Several community meetings and events were affected by the weather. The Tribune reported that Naperville's City Council meeting was halted so that attendees could evacuate to the basement. 

Those at a book signing at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville did the same. 

Darien Patch's Lauren Williamson reported that the power at the District 63 board meeting at Cass Jr. High was flickering. She camped out in an office while the storm passed.

Here are other reactions from the storm from Twitter and Facebook: 

@abc7chicago Storm update from @BenBradley7: Rpts of trees down near Bolingbrook HS, worst of wind/rain appears to have passed thru Willowbrook

8:50 p.m. @MayorTully @PatchWoodridge Power outages and lots of tree limbs down all over in DG.

8:54 p.m. @SKDickers Woodridge Tornado Sirens going off AGAIN - 4th time!! #DuPage #Tornado

9 p.m. @ChiWilliam @PatchWoodridge Can hear the sirens near Benedictine U in Lisle too.

9:10 p.m. @bpuumala  @PatchWoodridge some minor tree damage here

9:15 p.m. @RonSandack Lots of roads in DG with downed tree branches; some nearly impassable. Stay inside.


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