Severe Storm Packs a Punch Throughout Illinois Valley
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| Image courtesy of the News Tribune |
Strong winds and lots of lightning were being delivered by that one, and a quarter-sized hail was possible in a warning for the Streator area until 6:15 p.m.
Ameren Illinois reported more than 1,200 customers without power as of about 6:20 p.m., including much of Dimmick and Waltham Township and some in the Ottawa area, as well as north La Salle. Radar indicated some of the most severe weather passed north of Interstate 80.
Before the storm arrived at La Salle-Peru, Ameren reported a power outage to the south of the fairgrounds and east of the Illinois River in the Lacon area and rural Henry areas. Ameren reported 13 percent of its customers without power as of 6:20 p.m. ComEd reported isolated outages in the Sublette and Streator areas.
Strong winds and lots of lightning were being delivered by that storm cell, and quarter-sized hail was possible in a warning for the Streator area in effect until 6:15 p.m.
A rain gauge at Hall High School had measured more than an inch of rainfall in an extremely short period of time, as of 5 p.m.
The storm moving at 45 mph and capable of producing 60-mph winds and cloud-to-ground lightning had struck a building at Amboy as well as items in a backyard near Oak Ridge Golf Course between Utica and La Salle, sparking a fire. Utica firefighters were heading to a transformer fire at 5 p.m., and reported rain-runoff water covering the Route 178-Utica Shortcut intersection at the base of the bluff at 5:20 p.m. Naplate firefighters were being called to assist Utica, and Peru firefighters were called to man the La Salle station.
Severe wind damage was reported to the awning over the gas pumps at the Clock Tower Shell north of Interstate 80 at Route 251 on the north side of Peru. An employee there said they were working to keep people out from under the broken portion of the canopy until caution tape could be put out to keep people away.
Water was not yet receding as of 5:50 p.m. at frequently-inundated locations, such as Brunner Street in Peru between the railroad tracks at the La Salle city limits (near Monari’s 101 Club) westward toward Water Street.
Source: News Tribune