July Weather Trivia Statements
July 1
...CHICAGO... JULY 1, 1924: JULY STARTED OFF ON A COOL NOTE AS THE FIRST EIGHT DAYS WERE BELOW NORMAL. OVER THE FIRST FOUR DAYS OF THE MONTH... CHICAGOS HIGH TEMPERATURES NEVER GOT OUT OF THE 60S. IN FACT ON THIS DATE...THE HIGH ONLY REACHED 61 DEGREES...TYING WITH 1904 AS THE LOWEST MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 1, 1931: THIS WAS THE LAST DAY OF AN EIGHT CONSECUTIVE DAY HEAT WAVE WITH DAYTIME MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES GREATER THAN 95 DEGREES. ON THIS DATE...THE HIGH WAS 101 DEGREES WHICH SET A RECORD THAT STILL STANDS TODAY. THIS 101 DEGREE TEMPERATURE WAS THE 4TH CONSECUTIVE DAY WHERE TEMPERATURES WERE AT OR ABOVE 100 DEGREES.
July 2
...CHICAGO... JULY 2, 1983: SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED HEAVY RAIN AS THEY MOVED ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS FROM THE EVENING OF THE 1ST AND CONTINUING INTO THE MORNING HOURS ON THE 2ND. IN THE WESTERN SUBURBS...SPECIFICALLY IN THE COUNTIES OF COOK...WILL AND DUPAGE...2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN CAUSED SEVERE FLOODING AND SEVERAL HUNDREDS OF FAMILIES HAD TO FLEE THEIR HOMES. MANY HOMES...CARS AND BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED AS FLOOD WATERS ROSE TO MORE THAN 5 FEET IN AREAS. AT 9:30 AM...A 14 YEAR OLD BOY DROWNED WHEN HE FELL FROM A CULVERT INTO THE FAST MOVING WATERS OF INDIAN CREEK IN AURORA.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 2, 1978: AT LEAST 5 INCHES OF RAIN FELL DURING THE EVENING OF THE 2ND. HEAVY RAINS THE PREVIOUS WEEKS HAVE ALREADY SATURATED THE SOILS. THE ADDITIONAL 5 INCHES QUICKLY ENTERED AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FLOODING OCCURRED AT THE HOLIDAY ACRES CAMPGROUND NEAR BELVIDERE. FLOODWATERS HIT THE CAMPGROUND BETWEEN 2:30 AND 3 AM THE MORNING OF THE 3RD...FORCING HUNDREDS OF CAMPERS TO FLEE...LEAVING THEIR PERSONAL BELONGINGS BEHIND. AS MANY AS 40 VECHILES WERE UNDERWATER IN THE CAMPGROUND AT ONE TIME. ABOUT 200 HOMES NORTH OF ROCKFORD WERE AFFECTED BY FLOODWATERS AT HIGH FLOWS FROM THE KISHWAUKEE AND PECATONICA RIVERS ENTER THE ROCK RIVER.
July 3
...CHICAGO... JULY 3, 1909: UNSEASONABLY COOL AIR MOVED INTO NORTHERN ILLINIOS. ON THIS DATE...THE HIGH ONLY CLIMBED TO 63 DEGREES SETTING A LOWEST MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD. IN FACT THIS WAS THE FIRST IN A STRING OF FOUR DAYS WHERE THE HIGH DIDN'T EVEN HIT THE 70 DEGREE MARK.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 3, 1924: THIS WAS THE 3RD IN A FOUR DAY STRING OF LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE 40S. ON THIS DATE...THE LOW FELL TO 45 DEGREES...SETTING A LOW TEMPERATURE RECORD. IN FACT DURING THIS COOL SPELL...ALL FOUR DAYS SET NEW LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS.
July 4
JULY 4, 1911: IT WAS A HOT 4TH OF JULY IN 1911 AS THE HIGH TEMPERATURE CLIMBED ABOVE THE 100 DEGREE MARK. THIS LED TO RECORD BREAKING HIGH TEMPERATURES AT CHICAGO AND ROCKFORD. BUT THE 100 DEGREE WEATHER DIDN'T JUST OCCUR ON THIS DATE. IN FACT...BOTH STATIONS RECORDED THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF 100 DEGREE PLUS READINGS.
July 5
...CHICAGO... JULY 5, 1972: COOL WEATHER SETTLED OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS RESULTING IN LOW TEMPERATURES FALLING TO 46 DEGREES ON THIS DATE. THIS ESTABLISHED A LOW TEMPERATURE RECORD. ON THE 4TH...THE LOW ALSO FELL TO 50 DEGREES...WHICH ALSO SET A LOW TEMPERATURE RECORD.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 5, 1967: ALTHOUGH JULY IS USUALLY THE HOTTEST MONTH OF THE YEAR ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND INDIANA...THIS MORNING'S LOW TEMPERATURE DIPPED DOWN TO 43 DEGREES. THIS IS THE COLDEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED IN JULY FOR THE CITY... AND 20 DEGREES BELOW THE NORMAL MORNING LOW. THIS WAS ALSO THE SECOND OF A THREE DAY STRETCH WHERE LOW TEMPERATURES FELL INTO THE 40S...WITH ALL THREE DAYS EITHER TYING OR SETTING LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS.
July 6
...CHICAGO... JULY 6, 1983: CHICAGO SAW UNSEASONABLY COOL WEATHER AS LOW TEMPERATURES FROM THE 5TH THROUGH THE 7TH FELL INTO THE 40S. ON THIS DATE...THE LOW FELL TO 46 DEGREES SETTING A LOW TEMPERATURE RECORD. HOWEVER ON THE 7TH...A LOW OF 45 DEGREES WAS RECORDED WHICH NOT ONLY SET A RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE FOR THE 7TH... BUT IS ALSO THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED IN JULY.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 6, 1967: LOW TEMPERATURES FELL INTO THE 40S FROM THE 4TH THROUGH THE 6TH. ALL THREE DAYS SET LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS INCLUDING THE 44 DEGREES THAT WAS RECORDED ON THIS DATE.
July 7
...CHICAGO... JULY 7, 1983: THIS WAS THE THIRD ON A THREE CONSECUTIVE DAY STRING WHERE LOW TEMPERATURES PLUMMETED INTO THE 40S. ON THIS DATE...THE LOW FELL TO 45 DEGREES. THIS NOT ONLY SET A LOW TEMPERATURE RECORD...BUT IT IS ALSO THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE RECORDED IN JULY.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 7, 1978: LIGHTNING STRUCK A HOUSE IN ROCKFORD DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THIS TOUCHED OFF A FIRE WHICH RESULTED IN A MAN'S DEATH.
July 8
...CHICAGO... JULY 8, 1955: AN 8-DAY STRING OF TEMPERATURES IN THE 90S CAME TO AN END ACROSS THE CHICAGO METRO AREA. DURING THIS JULY...THE DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE WAS 90 DEGREES OR HIGHER 19 OUT OF THE 31 DAYS. THE MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS 81.3 DEGREES...MAKING THIS JULY THE HOTTEST MONTH ON RECORD FOR THE CITY. THREE DAILY HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET IN CHICAGO.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 8, 1951: VERY HEAVY RAIN FELL ON THIS DATE AT ROCKFORD... PRODUCING A TOTAL OF 4.99 INCHES. NOT ONLY IS THIS THE GREATEST PRECIPITATION AMOUNT FOR THE 8TH...BUT IS THE 5TH HIGHEST PRECIPITATION AMOUNT THAT FELL ON A CALENDAR DAY IN ROCKFORDS HISTORY.
July 9
...CHICAGO... JULY 9, 1895: IT FELT MORE LIKE SPRING THAN SUMMER AS THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS NEARLY 20 DEGREES BELOW NORMAL. ON THIS DATE...THE HIGH ONLY REACHED 63 DEGREES WHILE THE LOW FELL TO 50. THIS LED TO LOWEST MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS TO BE ESTABLISHED.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 9, 1918: THIS WAS THE SECOND IN A 6-NIGHT STRING WHERE LOW TEMPERATURES FELL INTO THE LOWER 50S AND EVEN UPPER 40S. ON THIS DATE...THE LOW FELL TO 50 DEGREES...WHICH SET A LOW MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD. ANOTHER LOW TEMPERATURE RECORD WAS SET ON THE 12TH.
July 10
JULY 10, 2000: THUNDERSTORMS BROUGHT HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS TO NORTHERN ILLINOIS DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. FLOODING OF STREETS...BASEMENTS...AND YARDS OCCURRED IN PORTIONS OF LASALLE...DEKALB...KENDALL...GRUNDY...WILL... AND KANKAKEE COUNTIES. THE TOWN OF MORRIS WAS HARDEST HIT WITH 265,000 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. ALMOST ALL OF THE PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS DUE TO HEAVY FLOODING IN BASEMENTS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES. NEARLY 15,000 PEOPLE WERE WITHOUT POWER FOR 12 HOURS. FLOODING ALSO CLOSED MANY MAIN AND COUNTY ROADS IN THE AREA.
July 11
...CHICAGO... JULY 11, 1873: UNSEASONABLY COOL WEATHER MADE ITS WAY ACROSS CHICAGO. ON THIS DATE...THE HIGH ONLY CLIMBED TO 65 DEGREES... SETTING A LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD. WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES RECORDED OVER MOST OF THE MONTH...JULY OF 1873 IS THE 5TH COOLEST JULY ON RECORD WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 68.8 DEGREES.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 11, 1937: FOR TWO YEARS IN A OW...ROCKFORD SAW HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH NOT UNUSAL FOR JULY...BUT WHAT IS UNIQUE IS THAT THE LOW TEMPERATURE ON BOTH YEARS ONLY FELL TO 73 DEGREES. THIS IS THE WARMEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED ON JULY 11TH.
July 12
JULY 12, 1995: AN INTENSE HEAT WAVE AFFECTED NORTHERN ILLINOIS FROM THE 12TH THROUGH THE 16TH. THIS HEAT WAVE TIED OR BROKE SEVERAL TEMPERATURE RECORDS AT ROCKFORD AND CHICAGO. BUT WHAT SET THIS HEAT WAVE APART FROM OTHERS WAS THE EXTREMELY HIGH HUMIDITIES. DEW POINTS PEAKED IN THE LOWER 80S LATE ON THE 12TH AND CONTINUED ON THE 13TH AND WERE GENERALLY IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 70S THROUGH THE REST OF THE HOT SPELL. AS A RESULT...THERE WERE OVER 580 FATALITIES WITH MOST OF THEM OCCURRING IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO. IN COMPARISON...FIVE PEOPLE PERISHED IN THE CITY OF ROCKFORD FROM THIS INTENSE HEAT.
July 13
...CHICAGO... JULY 13, 1975: THIS WAS THE THIRD IN A 3 CONSECUTIVE DAY STRING OF LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S. ON THIS DATE...THE LOW FELL TO 52 DEGREES...SETTING A LOW TEMPERATURE RECORD.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 13, 1940: DURING JULY OF 1940...THREE NIGHTS RECORDED A LOW IN THE 40S. THIS WAS THE THIRD NIGHT DURING THE MONTH AS THE LOW FELL TO 47 DEGREES. THIS TIED WITH THE PREVIOUS RECORD SET IN 1926.
July 14
...CHICAGO...JULY 14, 1972: A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVED SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN TWO-THIRDS OF ILLINOIS OVER THE NIGHT TIME HOURS ON THE 14TH. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF WIND AND LIGHTNING DAMAGE WERE RECEIVED. THE HARDEST HIT AREA WAS IN THE NORTHWEST SUBURBS OF CHICAGO WHERE TOTAL DAMAGE REPORTS EXCEEDED 3 MILLION DOLLARS. UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS ONE FATALITY IN DES PLAINES WHEN A TREE BLEW OVER ON A CAR AND ITS PASSENGER.
...ROCKFORD...JULY 14, 1936: THIS YEAR PRODUCED THE LONGEST PERIOD OF SCORCHING HEAT EVER IN NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS. FOR 9 CONSECUTIVE DAYS (JULY 6TH THROUGH THE 14TH) HIGH TEMPERATURES WERE ALL OVER 100 DEGREES...WITH EACH DAY SETTING A HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORD. (ALL RECORDS STILL STAND TODAY). ON THIS DATE...THE HIGH SOARED TO 112 DEGREES WHICH IS THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED AT ROCKFORD.
July 15
...CHICAGO... JULY 15, 1986: THUNDERSTORM WINDS ESTIMATED AT 75 MPH DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES. DAMAGE OCCURRED IN MCHENRY...LAKE... AND EXTREME NORTHERN COOK COUNTY. IN A RELATED INCIDENT... SURGING WINDS AND WAVES SWEPT A YOUNG WOMAN OFF A LAKE MICHIGAN PIER ON CHICAGO'S SOUTH SIDE.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 15, 1977: THUNDERSTORMS HIT NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS BRINGING HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG WINDS. IN BELVIDERE... WINDOWS WERE BROKEN AT A MASAGE PARLOR AND A CADILLAC SHOWROOM. WIND GUSTS TO AT LEAST 55 KNOTS WERE OBSERVED JUST BEFORE 3 PM IN ROCKFORD. HEAVY RAINS FROM THESE STORMS BROUGHT ALMOST 8 INCHES IN 8 HOURS BROUGHT SOME FLASH FLOODING TO PORTIONS OF BELVIDERE. FLASH FLOODING WAS ALSO REPORTED IN PORTIONS OF MCHENRY...LEE...OGLE...WINNEBAGO...AND STEPHENSON COUNTIES.
July 16
JULY 16, 1980: STRONG WINDS ACCOMPANIED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT RAKED ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINIOS DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AND CAUSED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. WIND GUSTS TO 63 MPH WERE RECORDED IN WOODSTOCK...77 MPH AT THE GREATER ROCKFORD AIRPORT... 61 MPH GUST AT DUPAGE AIRPORT...AND A 76 MPH GUST WAS RECORDED AT O'HARE. VERY SEVERE WIND DAMAGE WAS OCCURRED FROM HOFFMAN ESTATES EASTWARD TO EVANSTON AND SOUTHWEST TO OAK LAWN. TWO SMALL PLANES WERE OVERTURNED AT O'HARE. THESE WINDS CAUSED CONSIDERABLE ROOF DAMAGE...INCLUDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE THAT WAS LOCATED AT O'HARE. IN LOMBARD...FOUR LARGE APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND ANOTHER BUILDING WAS DESTROYED. IN THIS APARTMENT COMPLEX...379 PEOPLE HAD TO BE EVACUATED AS FLYING DEBRIS INJURED 2 PEOPLE. UPROOTED TREES FELL ACROSS ROADS AND HIGHWAYS BLOCKING TRANSPORTATION. FURTHER WEST...THE SAME STORM PRODUCED A TORNADO NEAR HAMPSHIRE DESTROYING SEVERAL FARM BUILDINGS.
July 17
JULY 17, 1996: RECORD BREAKING RAINFALL FELL OVER PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST ILLINOIS STARTING DURING THE LATE MORNING ON THE 17TH AND CONTINUING ON THE 18TH. THIS RESULTED IN UNPRECEDENTED FLASH FLOODING. THE HEAVIEST RAIN...IN EXCESS OF 5 INCHES...FELL IN A CORIDOR FROM NEAR ROCKFORD THROUGH AURORA AND JOLIET TO THE SOUTH SUBURBS OF CHICAGO. A RECORD BREAKING 16.91 INCHES THAT FELL AT AURORA SET A 24-HOUR RECORD FOR THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. NUMEROUS CREEKS AND STREAMS REACHED RECORD LEVELS LATE ON THE 17TH AND ON THE 18TH. NUMEROUS MAJOR ROADS AND HIGHWAYS WERE IMPASSIBLE. INTERSTATE 55 WAS CLOSED IN TWO PLACES AND A SECTION OF INTERSTATE 88 WAS CLOSED DUE TO FLOOD WATERS. THE BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD WAS SHUT DOWN WHEN A SECTION OF THE RAILROAD BED WAS WASHED OUT BY FLOOD WATERS. TENS OF THOUSANDS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE FLOODED. NUMEROUS CARS WERE SWEPT OFF ROADS INTO RAGING CREEKS AND DRAINAGE DITCHES. MANY PEOPLE HAD TO BE EVACUATED FROM THEIR HOMES...SOME BY BOAT OR HELICOPTER. THERE WERE TWO DEATHS DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTED TO THE FLOOD. A 20-YEAR OLD MAN AND HIS COUSIN WENT SWIMMING IN HICKORY CREEK IN JOLIET AND WERE SWEPT AWAY BY THE CURRENT. ONE MAN WAS ABLE TO CLIMB OUT...THE OTHER DROWNED. A 61-YEAR OLD MAN DROWNED IN CHANNAHON WHEN HE TRIED TO CHECK ON NEIGHBORS AT A RIVERFRONT PROPERTY. THERE WERE ALSO THREE INDIRECT DEATHS. A 39-YEAR OLD MAN WAS ELECTROCUTED WHILE TRYING TO RESTORE ELECTRICAL POWER AND TWO MEN DIED OF HEART ATTACKS DURING CLEAN UP EFFORTS. THIS WAS THE WORST FLOOD DISASTER EVER FOR NORTHEAST ILLINOIS.
July 18
...CHICAGO...JULY 18, 1997: TWO F1 TORNADOES WERE SPAWNED FROM STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT CROSSED THE AREA. ONE TORNADO DID EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AT A SHOPPING CENTER IN WHEATON. WINDOWS AT THIS SHOPPING CENTER WERE BLOWN OUT AND MANY LARGE TREES WERE DOWNED AND ONE LARGE TREE UPROOTED. ONE HOUSE LOST ITS GARAGE DOOR AND PART OF THE WALL TO THIS TORNADO. ANOTHER TORNADO TRACKED ON A 2-MILE PATH NEAR MOKENA. A SEMI WAS BLOWN OFF OF INTERSTATE 80 AND TWO PEOPLE WERE INJURED. EXTENSIVE DAMAGE ALSO OCCURRED AT AN RV DEALERSHIP WHERE A 7000 LB TRAILER WAS LIFTED OFF THE GROUND AND PILED ATOP TWO OTHER TRAILERS.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 18, 1952: STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DUMPED HEAVY RAIN ACROSS THE ROCKFORD AREA. BY THE END OF THE DAY...A TOTAL OF 4.70 INCHES FELL WHICH SET A GREATEST PRECIPITATION RECORD FOR THE 18TH. ANOTHER RECORD BREAKING 2.72 INCHES FELL THE NEXT DAY...BRINGING NEARLY 8.50 INCHES IN A 24-HOUR PERIOD. BY THE MONTHS END...THE CITY RECEIVED 11.81 INCHES OF RAIN MAKING THIS JULY THE WETTEST JULY ON RECORD.
July 19
...CHICAGO... JULY 19, 1930: THE 19TH WAS IN THE MIDST OF A THREE-CONSECUTIVE DAY HEAT SPELL. TEMPERATURES ON THE THREE DAYS CLIMBED TO AT LEAST 99 DEGREES. HOWEVER ON THIS DATE...THE HIGH REACHED 101 DEGREES WHICH SET A HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORD.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 19, 1986: THUNDERSTORMS TRACKED ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS WITH REPORTS OF TOPPLED TREES AND POWER LINES FROM STRONG WIND GUSTS. ONE-INCH HAIL WAS REPORTE IN WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
July 20
...CHICAGO... JULY 20, 1978: STRONG THUNDERSTORMS RAKED THROUGH LAKE ...COOK...KANE...DUPAGE...KENDALL AND WILL COUNTIES...DUMPING RECORD-SETTING RAINS. FOUR DIFFERENT RECORDS WERE SET WITH ONE EVENT WHEN 1.97 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN 10 MINUTES...2.14 INCHES IN 15 MINUTES...2.21 INCHES IN 20 MINUTES...AND A TOTAL OF 2.35 INCHES IN 30 MINUTES. NEARLY TWO-THIRDS OF THE JULY MONTHLY AVERAGE RAINFALL OCCURRED IN ONE-HALF HOUR.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 20, 1999: TREES AND UTILITY POLES WERE BLOWN DOWN BY 60 MPH WIND GUSTS. A MOBLE HOME WAS BLOWN ACROSS ILLINOIS ROUTE 251...AS THUNDERSTORMS TRACKED ACROSS THE REGION.
July 21
...CHICAGO...JULY 21, 1982: HEAVY RAIN FELL IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS STARTING ON THIS DATE...DELUGING SOME PARTS WITH MORE THAN 7 INCHES DURING A 24-HOUR PERIOD. MAJOR FLOOD DAMAGE OCCURRED TO HOMES AND BUILDINGS. STANDING WATER AS HIGH AS 3 FEET WERE COMMON IN BASEMENTS. MANY ROADS WERE BLOCKED AT THE DES PLAINES RIVER AND MANY SMALLER STREAMS AND CREEKS ROSE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE. URBAN FLOODING WAS SEVERE AS LOW-LYING AREAS TURNED INTO LAKES. IN ALGONQUIN...THE HIGH WATER CAUSED ABOUT 64,000 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO 10 BUSINESSES...2 HOMES ...AND AN APARTMENT BUILDING. AN ALGONQUIN POLICE OFFICER DROWNED IN CRYSTAL LAKE OUTLET CREEK WHILE SEARCHING FOR A MAN WHO WAS REPORTED TO HAVE FALLEN INTO THE CREEK. IN LAKE IN THE HILLS CRYSTAL LAKE OUTLET CREEK OVERFLOWED CAUSING EXTENSIVE PROPERTY DAMAGE TO 200 HOMES AND MAJOR WATER DAMAGE IN ANOTHER 300 TO 400 HOMES. IN DEERFIELD...THE EAST BRANCH OF THE NORTH FORK OF THE CHICAGO RIVER WENT OUT OF ITS BANKS CAUSING 800 BASEMENTS TO FLOOD.
...ROCKFORD...JULY 21, 1934: A TERRIBLE HEAT WAVE SETTLED OVER MUCH OF THE MIDWEST. AT ROCKFORD...THIS WAS THE SECOND IN A SIX CONSECUTIVE DAY STRING WHERE HIGH TEMPRATURES REACHED INTO THE 100S. A TOTAL OF FIVE TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE ESTABLISHED...INCLUDING THE 102 DEGREES THAT WAS RECORDED ON THIS DATE.
July 22
JULY 22, 1947: COOL WEATHER SETTLED OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS RESULTING IN LOW TEMPERATURES FALLING INTO THE 40S. ON THIS
DATE...THE LOW FELL TO 45 DEGREES AT ROCKFORD AND 49 DEGREES AT CHICAGO...SETTING LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS AT BOTH LOCATIONS.
July 23
JULY 23, 1992: NORTHERN ILLINOIS SAW COOLER THAN NORMAL READINGS AS HIGH TEMPERATURES ONLY CLIMBED INTO THE 60S. ON THIS DATE... THE HIGH CLIMBED TO 64 DEGREES AT O'HARE AND 65 DEGREES AT ROCKFORD. THIS LED TO LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS TO BE SET AT BOTH STATIONS. THESE COOL READINGS ALSO HELPED 1992 GOING DOWN AS THE 6TH COLDEST JULY ON RECORD FOR CHICAGO AND THE 2ND COLDEST AT ROCKFORD.
July 24
...CHICAGO...JULY 24, 1934: A TERRIBLE HEAT WAVE SETTLED OVER MUCH OF THE MIDWEST. IN CHICAGO...THE MERCURY TOPPED OUT AT 105 DEGREES SETTING THE ALL-TIME HOTTEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED FOR THE CITY.
...ROCKFORD...JULY 24, 2000: COOL WEATHER SETTLED OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS. LOW TEMPERATURES IN THE 50S OCCURRED FOR EIGHT STRAIGHT DAYS. OUT OF THE EIGHT DAYS...THE COOLEST READING OCCURRED ON THIS DATE WHERE THE LOW FELL TO 51 DEGREES...SETTING A LOW MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD.
July 25
...CHICAGO... JULY 25, 1995: A 30-YEAR OLD MAN AND A 13-YEAR OLD BOY WERE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING ON A PARKWAY IN THE WEST LAWN NEIGHBORHOOD OF CHICAGO. THE BOY WAS NOT BREATHING BUT WAS REVIVED BY CPR FROM A NEIGHBOR. HE WAS IN CRITICAL CONDITION AT A NEABY HOSPITAL. THE MAN HAD BURNS ON HIS FACE AND WAS IN SHOCK. A 2-YEAR OLD WAS THROWN FROM THE MANS ARMS BUT WAS NOT INJURED.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 25, 1940: TYPICAL HOT AND HUMID JULY WEATHER SURE MADE ITS MARK AT ROCKFORD. THIS WAS THE THIRD OF THREE CONSECUTIVE DAYS WHERE HIGH TEMPERATURES CLIMBED INTO THE 100S. WHILE NO HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET DURING THE COURSE OF THE THREE DAYS...TWO HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE INCLUDING ONE ON THIS DATE AS THE LOW ONLY FELL TO 76 DEGREES.
July 26
JULY 26, 1978: A NUMBER OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HIT NORTHERN ILLINOIS. SEVERAL COMMUNITITES IN NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS REPORTED CONSIDERABLE CROP DAMAGE DUE TO LARGE HAIL. STRONG WINDS ALSO DID DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT AND SHORTED OUT POWER AND TELEPHONE LINES AS TREES AND TREE LIMBS CRASHED DOWN ON HOMES...CARS...AND BUSINESSES. A MAN DROWNED IN LAKE MICHIGAN... NEAR WILMETTE WHEN HE TOOK A SMALL DINGHY OUT TO TRY TO RETRIEVE A MOTORBOAT. A MAN WAS INJURED WHEN LIGHTNING HIT THE TRUCK HE WAS DRIVING IN BURBANK. IN SOUTH HOLLAND...A CONSTRUCTION WORKER WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AT A BUILDING SITE.
July 27
JULY 27, 2003: A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVED EAST ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS OF THE 27TH. NUMEROUS TREES...TREE LIMBS...AND POWER LINES WERE BLOWN DOWN. ONE PERSON AT AN ANTIQUE SHOW IN SANDWICH SUFFERED A BROKEN ARM AND ANOTHER WAS HIT IN THE HEAD BY A FALLEN TENT POLE. IN ADDITION... VERY HEAVY RAIN FELL FROM THESE STORMS...ESPECIALLY IN WILL AND
SOUTHERN COOK COUNTIES. MOST OF THE RAIN FELL IN A TWO-HOUR PERIOD. WIDESPREAD STREET FLOODING WAS REPORTED AND MANY HOMES AND BUSINESSES SUFFERED WATER AND FLOOD DAMAGE. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD TO BE RESCUED FROM THEIR CARS AFTER BECOMING TRAPPED BY FLOOD WATERS IN PORTIONS OF WILL COUNTY. A MAN WAS ELECTRICUTED BY WALKING INTO HIS FLOODED BASEMENT THAT WAS IN CONTACT WITH ELECTRICITY.
July 28
...CHICAGO... JULY 28, 1973: AT 10:30 PM...A TORNADO BRIEFLY TOUCHED DOWN AT THE LEWIS-LOCKPORT AIRPORT IN ROMEOVILLE...WHICH NOW IS WHERE THE CHICAGO NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IS LOCATED. IT DEMOLISHED TWO OPEN TYPE HANGERS AND DAMAGED SOME NEARBY AIRCRAFT. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT OR KILLED FROM THIS TWISTER.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 28, 1925: LOW TEMPERATURES ON THE 28TH AND 29TH DROPPED TO 46 AND 47 DEGREES RESPECTIVELLY. THIS LED TO BOTH DAYS SETTING LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS.
July 29
...CHICAGO... JULY 29, 1987: SPECTATORS AT A BASKETBALL GAME IN CHICAGO HEIGHTS WERE EXITING THE FIELD THROUGH GATES IN A METAL FENCE WHEN LIGHTNING STRUCK A TREE AND THEN JUMPED TO THE FENCE. THIRTY PEOPLE WERE INJURED...2 SERIOUSLY. SOME OF THE PEOPLE WERE THROWN 4 TO 5 FEET.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 29, 1989: THREE DAYS DURING THE LAST WEEK IN JULY HAD AT LEAST ONE INCH OR MORE OF RAIN. TWO INCHES FELL ON THIS DATE...SETTING THE GREATEST PRECIPITATION RECORD. THIS MONTH ENDED UP WITH 7.61 INCHES...WHICH IS THE 6TH WETTEST JULY FOR ROCKFORD.
July 30
JULY 30, 1999: AN INTENSE HEAT WAVE BEGAN ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS ON THE 28TH AND CONTINUED THROUGH THE MORNING OF THE 31ST. THE HEAT PEAKED ON THIS DATE...WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE CHICAGO AREA OVER 100 AND HEAT INDICIES AROUND 115 TO 120. CHICAGO SET AN ALL-TIME DEW POINT RECORD OF 82 DEGREES AT MIDWAY AIRPORT ON THE MORNING OF THE 30TH. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 99 FATALITIES...WITH THE MAJORITY OF THEM IN COOK COUNTY. ALTHOUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY WAS CENTERED IN THE CHICAGO AREA...ROCKFORD SAW ITS SHARE OF HOT AND HUMID WEATHER. IN FACT ON THIS DATE THE LOW ONLY FELL TO 77 DEGREES...WHICH SET A HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD.
July 31
...CHICAGO... JULY 31, 1986: TORRENTIAL RAINS OF 3 INCHES IN ONE HOUR IN A LOCALIZED AREA ON THE NEAR NORTH SIDE OF CHICAGO CAUSED A BRICK WALL...ALREADY WEAKENED BY AN EARLIER FIRE IN THE BUILDING...TO COLLAPSE ONTO TWO AUTOMOBILES. A TOTAL OF 6 PEOPLE WERE INJURED.
...ROCKFORD... JULY 31, 1916: HOT WEATHER INVADED ROCKFORD FOR MUCH OF JULY. IN FACT...HIGH TEMPERATURES IN THE 90S AND 100S OCCURRED CONSECUTIVELY FROM THE 12TH THROUGH THE 31ST WITH THE LAST FOUR DAYS OF THE MONTH REACHING INTO THE 100S. THESE FOUR DAYS ALSO SET HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS WITH THE WARMEST OF THE FOUR OCCURRING ON THIS DATE WHEN THE MERCURY REACHED 105 DEGREES. AS A RESULT...JULY 1916 IS THE 4TH WARMEST JULY ON RECORD.
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