Severe weather swept through the Chicago area, leaving a trail of disruption in its wake. As reported by NBC Chicago, over 68,000 ComEd customers experienced power outages as thunderstorms barreled through the region on Saturday. The storms packed a punch with winds reaching up to 60 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service, and inflicted damage across multiple counties, including DuPage and Cook County.
Mount Prospect was particularly hit hard, where an apartment building's roof was severely damaged, forcing residents to evacuate. The aftermath of the storm also saw the Mayor of Cary declaring a state of emergency in response to the extensive power outages and storm damage. In a move to assist with clean-up efforts, the Village of Cary will offer brush pick up starting the week of August 25, a decision that reflects the severity of the situation. Meanwhile, flights were disrupted at O'Hare airport as the storms enforced a ground stop and delays.
In the throes of havoc, Romeoville authorities reported fallen trees and electrical wires. Aurora's predicament included power loss to city facilities such as water pumps and two fire stations, yet officials confirmed that the capability to provide clean water remained unscathed. In the latest updates, Cook County had the largest number of ComEd customers without electricity, totaling over 17,000, followed by McHenry and Will counties, according to the numbers listed by NBC Chicago at 9:30 p.m. on the day of the storms.
For residents seeking real-time updates on outages, FOX 32 Chicago shared ComEd's live outage map. The station continued to cover the storms, offering the latest weather updates while emphasizing the risks of severe weather conditions that could produce hail, wind gusts of 70 miles per hour, and isolated flash flooding.
