Wind gusts roaring up to 70 mph tore across the Chicago area on Monday, snapping tree limbs into power lines, knocking down traffic signals, and cutting electricity to clusters of homes and businesses. Crews worked through Monday night and into Tuesday to clear debris and fix damaged lines, and more than 1,000 ComEd customers were still without power as restoration continued. Officials reported scattered structural damage in both the suburbs and the city, with downed trees in neighborhoods stretching from Rockford to the South Side.
How Many Lost Power, And Where
At the height of the storm, about 61,000 ComEd customers lost service. By Tuesday, the utility had restored power to roughly 98 percent of them, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. A ComEd spokesperson told the paper the outages started when high winds drove tree limbs into power lines, and the utility said the remaining pockets of customers were expected to be back online by 6 p.m. Tuesday.
National Weather Service: Wake Low Packed The Punch
The National Weather Service said those sudden, intense gusts were triggered by a wake low, a compact dip in pressure that can form on the back edge of a weakening storm line and kick up powerful straight-line winds. In its Area Forecast Discussion, the Chicago office noted measured gusts of 55–70 mph across northern Illinois and warned that winds at that level could sharply increase the risk of wind damage and power outages, according to the National Weather Service.
Suburbs, Streets, and Parks Took The Brunt
Local coverage reported thousands of people without power in the Rockford area, with ComEd’s outage map showing hundreds of customers in Roscoe and Rockford alone as crews spread out to clear fallen trees, per WIFR. Television crews also captured damage in Chicago neighborhoods, where gusts topping 60 mph knocked down limbs and traffic signals. The winds did not play favorites in the far suburbs either, with Sandwich, Ill., recording gusts near 72 mph, according to local reporting from CBS Chicago.
What Is A Wake Low?
According to the National Weather Service, a wake low develops when warming air sinks behind a fading complex of thunderstorms, creating a pocket of relatively low pressure that tightens the local pressure gradient and cranks up the wind. The strongest blasts can arrive after the rain has already moved out and without lightning or thunder, which often lulls people into thinking the worst is over and leaves trees, power lines and outdoor equipment more vulnerable to surprise gusts.
Restoration Timeline And Safety
ComEd told the Chicago Sun-Times that crews had restored service to about 98 percent of affected customers and still expected the remaining outages to be fixed by 6 p.m. Tuesday. Officials urged residents to steer clear of any downed power lines and to report outages or hazardous conditions through ComEd’s online outage portal or by phone. Local coverage lists the utility’s emergency line as 1-800-EDISON1.
