Fast-moving storms moved through the Chicago metropolitan area and northwest Indiana on Monday, bringing large hail, strong winds, widespread power outages, and localized flooding. The severe weather disrupted daily routines and caused significant damage across multiple communities.
The storms began near mid-morning, with residents reporting sudden darkening skies and intense rainfall. Jenny Shiner, a Glendale Heights resident, described the hail as “golf ball-sized pellets” that battered the ground, accompanied by deafening winds. The fast-moving system led to numerous weather alerts throughout Chicago and surrounding counties in Illinois and Indiana.
By Monday evening, nearly 320,000 ComEd customers were without electricity as strong winds downed power lines and damaged infrastructure. Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management & Communications reported over 1,500 service calls to 311, including hundreds related to street flooding, basement water intrusion, and tree emergencies. Additional complaints involved downed wires, traffic signal outages, and damaged light poles.
The National Weather Service in Chicago indicated rainfall totals varied between 1.5 and 3 inches in the affected areas. Meteorologist Kevin Donofrio noted that this influx would likely place the region at least 2 inches above the normal precipitation levels for the meteorological summer season, which began in June.
Three unconfirmed tornado sightings were reported in Glen Ellyn, Orland Park, and Lansing, prompting several tornado warnings across Cook, DuPage, and Will counties, as well as Porter and Lake counties in Indiana. Weather officials planned damage assessments once conditions improved. Illinois recently set a new record for the most tornadoes in a single year, far surpassing the average of 54 annually from 1990 to 2020.
The storms caused significant property damage in some suburbs. In Ford Heights, a roof collapsed at an apartment complex. Homewood experienced widespread tree damage, with Mayor Rich Hofeld describing extensive destruction throughout his neighborhood. In Downers Grove, two contractors became trapped in a storm sewer; firefighters successfully rescued one individual, while efforts continued for the second into the evening.
Residential damage was also reported in Evanston, where a tree branch fell on a vehicle belonging to Loren Berlin. This marked the second incident in recent weeks where severe weather affected her family’s property. Berlin expressed frustration over the repeated damage and linked the increasing frequency and intensity of storms to broader climate change impacts.
Residents in flood-prone areas also felt the strain. Louise Devin, a Rogers Park resident whose building has flooded eight times this year, experienced another inundation on Monday. Devin reported power outages and accumulating water in her lower-level unit, requiring ongoing cleanup efforts. Concerned about repeated flooding, she said she has avoided travel in recent years to monitor her property closely during storms.
Though another round of storms was possible Monday night, forecasters expected a cold front to bring cooler and drier conditions through midweek. Thunderstorms and increased temperatures could return by the weekend, according to the National Weather Service. The recent weather pattern underscores the variability and severity of summer weather across the Chicago area.