August Weather Trivia Statements
AUGUST 1
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 1, 2003: THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON ACROSS THE CHICAGO METRO AREA. THE STORMS PRODUCED A DOZEN REPORTS OF LARGE HAIL AS WELL AS WIND DAMAGE. SOME HAIL DAMAGE WAS REPORTED TO ROOFS AND HOUSE TRIM IN STREAMWOOD WITH TREES AND LIMBS BLOWN DOWN IN CHICAGO AND SEVERAL OF ITS SUBURBS. IN ADDITION TO THE HAIL AND WIND DAMAGE...FLOODING WAS ALSO REPORTED ACROSS ROUTE 47 IN MORRIS. PARTS OF GRUNDY COUNTY RECEIVED 2 TO 3 INCHES OF RAIN. MINOR FLOODING WAS REPORTED ACROSS PARTS OF KANE... DUPAGE...AND COOK COUNTIES AS WELL.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 1, 1961: A THUNDERSTORM ACCOMPANIED BY HEAVY RAIN AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH DOWNED MANY TREES AND POWER LINES IN ROCKFORD. ONE DEATH RESULTED WHEN A NEW RETAINING WALL COLLAPSED BECAUSE OF THE PRESSURE EXERTED BY THE SATURATED...LOOSE GROUND BEHIND IT.
AUGUST 2
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 2, 2001: STRONG THUNDERSTORMS...WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN MOVED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE CHICAGO METRO AREA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MORNING RUSH HOUR. SOME LOCATIONS RECEIVED RAINFALL AT THE RATE OF 3 TO 4 INCHES PER HOUR. MANY PORTIONS OF INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS AS WELL AS SECONDARY ROADS HAD SEVERAL FEET OF STANDING WATER. SIX TO EIGHT FEET OF STANDING WATER COVERED THE INTERSECTION OF THE EDENS AT PRATT...WHERE THREE CARS WERE TOTALLY SUBMERGED. THE UNDERGOUND PARKING GARAGE AT THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY WAS FLOODED. THE EISENHOWER AT KENNEDY HAD 3 TO 4 FEET OF STANDING WATER. THE METRA STATION AT VAN BUREN WAS CLOSED FOR A FEW HOURS DUE TO FLOODING IN ONE OF THE TUNNELS. LAKESHORE DRIVE AT FOSTER WAS FLOODED. SEVERAL PEOPLE HAD TO BE RESCUED FROM THEIR VEHICLES AND 228 VEHICLES WERE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN TOWED FROM FLOODED ROADS OR VIADUCTS. MANY OTHER SMALLER INTERSECTIONS AND VIADUCTS ACROSS CHICAGO AND PARTS OF COOK COUNTY WERE FLOODED AND IMPASSIBLE. FORTUNATELY NO DEATHS OR INJURIES WERE REPORTED FROM THE FLOODING. BETWEEN HEAVY RAINS AND STRONG WINDS...NEARLY 10,000 HOMES RECEIVED FLOODING AND 56,000 CUSTOMERS WERE WITHOUT ELECTRICAL POWER. A 93 MILE TUNNEL USED TO HOLD RAIN WATER DRUING PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN FILLED IN JUST OVER AN HOUR...HOLDING APPROXIMATELY 1.6 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 2, 1927: COOL WEATHER SETTLED OVER THE ROCKFORD AREA WHERE LOW TEMPERATURES FELL INTO THE 40S ON THE 2ND AND 3RD. ON THIS DATE...THE LOW FELL TO 44 DEGREES WHILE ON THE 3RD... A LOW TEMPERATURE OF 43 DEGREES WAS RECORDED. THIS LED TO BOTH DAYS SETTING NEW LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS.
AUGUST 3
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 3, 2003: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVED OVER PARTS OF THE CHICAGO METRO AREA DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON. THE STORMS PRODUCED GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING. A RAIN TOTAL OF 4.14 INCHES WAS REPORTED IN JUST 90 MINUTES SIX MILES EAST OF O'HARE AIRPORT. THE KENNEDY EXPRESSWAY WAS CLOSED AT LAWRENCE WHERE 4 TO 6 FEET OF WATER COVERED THE EXPRESSWAY. THE ROOF OF A FOOD STORAGE BUILDING COLLAPSED FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE RAIN IN CHICAGO. SEVERAL TENTS WERE BLOWN DOWN AT AN OUTDOOR FESTIVAL IN ROSELLE WHERE ONE PERSON WAS INJURED. THESE STORMS ALSO CONTINUED INTO THE EVENING PRODUCING MORE LARGE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING. AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ROMEOVILLE...NICKEL SIZE HAIL FELL FOR 5 MINUTES AND 1.60 INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN JUST 30 MINUTES. A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ONTO A GARAGE IN JOLIET AND THE GARAGE SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. LIGHTNING ALSO STRUCK A HOME IN WORTH AND STARTED A SMALL FIRE.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 3, 1960: STRONG GUSTY WINDS FROM 40 TO 60 MPH ASSOCIATED WITH A MID-MORNING THUNDERSTORM BLEW OVER TREES AND DISRUPTED ELECTRICAL SERVICE. ONE LOCAL RADIO STATION WAS TAKEN OFF THE AIR FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS DUE TO DAMAGED EQUIPMENT.
AUGUST 4
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 4, 1977: VIOLENT THUNDERSTORMS SWEPT THROUGH NORTHEAST ILLINOIS DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. POWER WAS KNOCKED OUT TO THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS. ON CHICAGO'S SOUTH SIDE...LIGHTNING TOUCHED OFF AN EXPLOSION THAT KILLED TWO MEN AND SERIOUSLY INJURED TWO OTHERS AS THE RESULTING FIRE SWEPT THE GRAIN ELEVATOR IN WHICH THEY WERE WORKING.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 4, 1912: IT WAS A COOL START TO AUGUST FOR ROCKFORD AS HIGH TEMPERATURES NEVER CLIMBED PAST 78 DEGREES OVER THE FIRST 13 DAYS. SPECIFICALLY ON THIS DATE...THE HIGH ONLY REACHED 65 DEGREES WHILE THE LOW FELL TO 46 SETTING A LOW MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD. THIS LED TO AUGUST OF 1912 RANKING AS THE 7TH COLDEST AUGUST ON RECORD.
AUGUST 5
AUGUST 5, 1918: IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS. IN CHICAGO THE TEMPERATURE REACHED 102 DEGREES WHILE ROCKFORD REACHED 104. THESE ARE THE HIGHEST TEMPERATURES EVER RECORDED FOR BOTH CITIES DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST.
AUGUST 6
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 6, 1985: TWO TO FOUR INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN A TWO-HOUR PERIOD RESULTING IN CONSIDERABLE STREET AND SOME RESIDENTIAL FLOODING IN NORTH SUBURBAN CHICAGO. THE HEAVIEST RAINS OCCURRED IN SKOKIE AND MOST FLOODING WAS CONCENTRATED IN THE VICINITY OF DEMPSTER STREET AND THE EDENS EXPRESSWAY. A COMMONWEALTH EDISON REPAIRMAN WAS ELECTROCUTED DURING CLEANUP OPERATIONS.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 6, 1948: ROCKFORD RECORDED TWO CONSECUTIVE CHILLY NIGHTS WHERE LOW TEMPERATURES FELL TO 47 DEGREES ON THE 5TH AND 6TH. THIS LED TO BOTH DAYS SETTING NEW LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS.
AUGUST 7
AUGUST 7, 1947: IN CHICAGO...A 3-DAY HEAT WAVE WAS SNAPPED WHEN IT ONLY REACHED 85 DEGREES WHILE ROCKFORD CONTINUED TO SEE 90 DEGREE WEATHER. HOT TEMPERATURES WERE NOT UNUSUAL DURING THIS MONTH. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE AVERAGE MONTHLY TEMPERATURE IN CHICAGO WAS 80.2 DEGREES AND ROCKFORD RECORDED AN AVERAGE OF 80.6 DEGREES. AUGUST OF 1947 IS THE WARMEST AUGUST EVER FOR BOTH CITIES...AND A TOTAL OF FIFTEEN HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET.
AUGUST 8
AUGUST 8, 1934: THE HOT SULTRY DAYS OF SUMMER IN 1934 CARRIED OVER INTO AUGUST. A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 100 WAS RECORDED AT CHICAGO WHILE ROCKFORD RECORDED A HIGH OF 99 DEGREES. THIS LED TO BOTH STATIONS SETTING HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS FOR THIS DATE.
AUGUST 9
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 9, 1995: A WOMAN WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AS SHE GOT OUT OF HER CAR AT ROUND LAKE BEACH. ANOTHER WOMAN WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED WHEN LIGHTNING STRUCK THE BELL TOWER OF A CHURCH WHILE SHE WAS ON THE PHONE AND KNOCKED HER ACROSS THE ROOM. IN NORTHBROOK...A 14 YEAR OLD BOY WAS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING AFTER WAITING UNDER A TREE TO WAIT FOR THE STORM TO PASS. HE WENT INTO A COMA AND DIED THREE DAYS LATER.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 9, 1936: THIS WAS ONE OF THREE DAYS DURING THE MONTH WHERE HIGH TEMPERATURES CLIMBED INTO THE 100'S. ON THIS DATE... THE HIGH REACHED 100 DEGREES...SETTING A HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORD.
AUGUST 10
AUGUST 10, 1983: THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST ILLINOIS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. WINDS AS HIGH AS 70 MPH UPROOTED TREES...DAMAGED HOMES...AND CAUSED POWER FAILURES. VERY POWERFUL WINDS FROM MICROBURSTS CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO A COUPLE OF BARNS AND A COMMERCIAL BUILDING IN MCHENRY. NUMEROUS TREES WERE BROKEN AND AREAS OF CORN CROPS WERE FLATTENED. MANY TREES WERE UPROOTED AND DAMAGED SEVERAL HOMES IN DIXON IN LEE COUNTY. THE STRENGTH OF THESE MICROBURSTS WAS BETWEEN F0 AND F1. LIGHTNING FROM THESE STORMS STRUCK AND KILLED ONE CHILD WITH SIX OTHERS INJURED AT A PLAYGROUND IN MOUNT PROSPECT.
AUGUST 11
AUGUST 11, 2004: THE COOL SUMMER OF 2004 RESULTED IN HIGH TEMPERATURES ONLY REACHING INTO THE 60S FROM THE 10TH THROUGH THE 12TH. THIS LED TO SIX RECORDS TO BE SET DURING THE MONTH ...THIS DATE INCLUDED...AS CHICAGO ONLY RECORDED A HIGH OF 62 DEGREES AND ROCKFORD WITH 61. AUGUST 2004 GOES DOWN AS THE 4TH COLDEST AUGUST ON RECORD AT CHICAGO AND THE 3RD COLDEST AT ROCKFORD.
AUGUST 12
...CHICAGO...AUGUST 12, 1915: IN CHICAGO...THE HIGH TEMPERATURE REACHED 71 DEGREES...WELL BELOW THE AVERAGE HIGH OF 82 DEGREES. AUGUST OF 1915 HAD ONLY THREE DAYS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE REACHED OR EXCEEDED THE DAILY NORMAL HIGH. CHICAGO FINISHED THE MONTH WITH AN AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF 66.6 DEGREES...THE ALL-TIME COOLEST AUGUST IN CHICAGO'S RECORDED HISTORY. DESPITE THE COOL READINGS...THERE WERE NO OVERNIGHT LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS SET DURING THIS MONTH, BUT FOUR LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE ESTABLISHED.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 12, 1964: IT SURE FELT MORE LIKE FALL THAN SUMMER FOR ROCKFORD RESIDENTS AS THE HIGH ONLY CLIMBED TO 64 DEGREES. THIS SET A RECORD LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR THE 12TH. COOL WEATHER SETTLED OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS FOR MUCH OF THE MONTH RESULTING IN AUGUST OF 1964 GOING DOWN AS THE 5TH COLDEST AUGUST ON RECORD.
AUGUST 13
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 13, 1995: CHICAGO WAS IN THE MIDST OF A FOUR-DAY HEAT WAVE WHERE HIGH TEMPERATURES CLIMBED INTO THE MIDDLE 90S AND LOWS WERE IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 70S. THE LOW TEMPERATURE OF 77 DEGREES ON THIS DATE TIED WITH 1988 FOR THE RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE. HUMIDITY WAS HIGH AND 27 DEATHS WERE ATTRIBUTED TO THIS HEAT WAVE. THE MAJORITY OF THEM OCCURRED IN CHICAGO.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 13, 1985: THUNDERSTORM RAINS BETWEEN ONE AND FOUR INCHES RESULTED IN MINOR STREET AND HIGHWAY FLOODING. TELEPHONE SERVICE TO 70,000 HOMES WAS TEMPORARILY INTERRUPTED IN THE ROCKFORD AREA WHEN WATER FLOODED UNDERGROUND CABLES.
AUGUST 14
AUGUST 14, 1987: EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS FELL ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS BEGINNING THE EVENING ON THE 13TH AND CONTINUING INTO THE MORNING OF THE 14TH. BY MIDNIGHT...O'HARE RECEIVED 6.49 INCHES OF RAIN...A RECORD-SETTING SINGLE DAY PRECIPITATION TOTAL FOR CHICAGO. THE AIRPORT WAS LITERALLY AN ISLAND FROM THE MORNING OF THE 14TH TO THE MORNING OF THE 15TH AND WAS ONLY ACCESSIBLE BY AIR...AS FLOODING BLOCKED ALL ROADS LEADING INTO THE AREA. MANY PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT BY WALKING DOWN THE KENNEDY EXPRESSWAY. THE CITY OF ROCKFORD WAS NOT SPARED EITHER...WHEN THEIR ALL-TIME DAILY PRECIPITATION TOTAL WAS SET WITH 5.70 INCHES BY MIDNIGHT. FLOODING CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE WATERS BEGAN TO RECEDE. DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED NEAR 220 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE CHICAGO AREA WITH THE BRUNT OF THE HEAVY RAIN HITTING THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST SUBURBS. THE SUBURBS OF DES PLAINES...ELK GROVE VILLAGE...MOUNT PROSPECT...ARLINGTON HEIGHTS...AND WHEELING WERE ESPECIALLY HIT HARD AS BASEMENTS FILLED TO THE CEILING AND WATER OCCUPIED THE FIRST FLOOR OF THOUSANDS OF STRUCTURES. THE FLOOD CLAIMED THREE LIVES IN THE CHICAGO AREA AND A FOURTH NEAR ROCKFORD.
AUGUST 15
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 15, 1978: SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ROLLED ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS...SPAWNING A TORNADO IN MCHENRY COUNTY. IT MOVED NORTHEAST FROM HUNTLEY TO THE LAKE IN THE HILLS AREA. NO DEATHS WERE REPORTED BUT SEVERAL HOMES AND FARMS WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. THESE STORMS ALSO BROUGHT STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS. GUSTS OVER 50 MPH KNOCKED DOWN NUMEROUS TREE LIMBS...HIT POWER LINES AND PLUNGED MANY HOMES INTO DARKNESS. LIGHTNING STRUCK SEVERAL HOMES...RESULTING IN MANY SMALL FIRES. A BRICK WALL AT A COMPANY IN DES PLAINES COLLAPSED AND FELL ON TWO VEHICLES IN AN ADJOINING PARKING LOT...INJURING A MAN.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 15, 1988: THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER MADE ITS MARK FROM THE 15TH THROUGH THE 17TH OF AUGUST. DAYTIME HIGHS REACHED INTO THE UPPER 90S AND 100S WITH LOWS IN THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 70S. ALL THREE DAYS ALSO SET HIGH MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS WHICH AIDED IN AUGUST OF 1988 RANKING AS THE 5TH WARMEST AUGUST ON RECORD.
AUGUST 16
AUGUST 16, 1987: AUGUST 16, 1987. RESIDENTS OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS SURE DIDN'T NEED ANY MORE RAIN AFTER THE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS TWO DAYS AGO...BUT MOTHER NATURE SERVED UP ANOTHER WHAMMY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVED ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS...PRODUCING WINDS OF 40 TO 80 MPH ACROSS THE REGION...WITH HAIL AND FROM 1 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN. TOTAL DAMAGE FROM THESE STORMS NEARED 12 MILLION DOLLARS...PRIMARILY DUE TO THE FLOODING IN THE CHICAGO AREA.
AUGUST 17
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 17, 1947: THIS DAY WAS THE START OF AN EIGHT DAY HEAT WAVE ACROSS NORTHERN ILLINOIS. THIS HEAT WAVE HELPED MAKE AUGUST OF 1947 THE HOTTEST AUGUST IN CHICAGO'S RECORDED HISTORY. TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER 100'S OCCURRED FOUR TIMES DURING THE MONTH.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 17, 1979: A SMALL TORNADO HIT THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF PECATONICA...DAMAGING SEVERAL HOMES. THE STRONG WINDS LIFTED A GARAGE OFF ITS FOUNDATION WITH DEBRIS FROM THE GARAGE RIPPING INTO HOMES WITHIN TWO BLOCKS. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS KILLED OR INJURED FROM THIS STORM.
AUGUST 18
AUGUST 18, 1936: CHICAGO RECORDED ONE MORE DAY OF 90-DEGREE WEATHER WHILE ROCKFORD SURPASSED THE 100-DEGREE MARK AS THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WAVE DURING THE SUMMER OF 1936 CONTINUED. MANY TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET DURING THE COURSE OF THIS HOT SUMMER INCLUDING THE 101 DEGREES RECORDED AT ROCKFORD ON THIS DATE.
AUGUST 19
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 19, 1893: IT WAS ANOTHER DRY AUGUST DAY ACROSS CHICAGO... WITH NO RAINFALL RECORDED. DURING THIS MONTH MEASURABLE RAIN FELL ON ONLY TWO DAYS...BRINGING THE MONTHLY RAINFALL TOTAL TO 0.18 INCHES...THE DRIEST AUGUST ON RECORD FOR THE CITY.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 19, 1919: FROM AUGUST 18TH THROUGH SEPTEMBER 10TH... NO MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION (AMOUNTS GREATER THAN A TRACE) WAS RECORDED IN ROCKFORD. ALTHOUGH NOT A RECORD BREAKER IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF DAYS DURING A DRY SPELL...THE 1.21 INCHES RECORDED ON THE 10TH SURE BROUGHT SOME RELIEF TO PLANTS AND CROPS.
AUGUST 20
AUGUST 20, 1940: COOL WEATHER SETTLED OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS GIVING RESIDENTS AN EARLY TASTE OF FALL. ON THIS DATE...CHICAGO RECORDED A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 66 DEGREES. THIS ENDED UP TYING WITH 1897 FOR THE LOWEST MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE ON THE 20TH. AT ROCKFORD...THE LOW FELL TO 47 DEGREES...WHICH SET A LOW MIMIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD.
AUGUST 21
...CHICAGO...AUGUST 21, 1950: THIS WAS THE SECOND NIGHT OUT OF A TWO DAY STRETCH WHERE LOW TEMPERATURES DROPPED INTO THE 40S AND SET LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS. ON THIS DATE...THE LOW FELL TO 46 DEGREES WHILE A READING OF 47 DEGREES WAS RECORDED ON THE 20TH.
...ROCKFORD...AUGUST 21, 1975: A SERIES OF THUNDERSTORMS BROUGHT TORRENTIAL RAINS TO THE NORTHERN HALF OF WINNEBAGO AND BOONE COUNTIES BEGINNING THE EVENING OF THE 21ST AND CONTINUING INTO THE MORNING HOURS OF THE 22ND. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF ALMOST 9 INCHES WERE REPORTED IN SOME AREAS OF THE CITY OF ROCKFORD AND IN THE REST OF WINNEBAGO AND BOONE COUNTIES. SOME CREEKS IN ROCKFORD WERE SENT OUT OF THEIR BANKS, FLOODING MANY HOMES AND A FEW BUSINESSES.
AUGUST 22
AUGUST 22, 2002: THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS FAR NORTHERN ILLINOIS DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING OF ROADS...CREEKS...AND BASEMENTS WAS REPORTED ACROSS SEVERAL COUNTIES IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS. THE HARDEST HIT AREAS EXTENDED FROM CENTRAL WINNEBAGO COUNTY THROUGH SOUTHERN BOONE...SOUTHERN MCHENRY TO NORTHERN KANE AND NORTHERN COOK COUNTIES. MANY ROADS WERE CLOSED DUE TO FLOODING AND THE METROPOLITAN WATER RECLAMATION DISTRICT OF GREATER CHICAGO OPENED THE LOCKS AT WILMETTE HARBOR AND AT THE CHICAGO RIVER...RELEASING 850 MILLION GALLONS OF STORM AND SEWAGE WATER INTO LAKE MICHIGAN. SEVERAL BEACHES WERE CLOSED AS A RESULT. A WOMAN LOST CONTROL OF HER CAR IN WHEATON AND RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO AN OVERFLOWING FLOODED DRAINAGE DITCH. FORTUNATELY SHE WAS RESCUED BY FIRE FIGHTERS AND WAS NOT INJURED.
AUGUST 23
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 23, 1956: A TORNADO STRUCK JUST SOUTHWEST OF CHICAGO...IN TINLEY PARK...CAUSING AN ESTIMATED DAMAGE OF 250,000 DOLLARS. FOUR PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND AT LEAST 15 HOMES WERE WRECKED.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 23, 1908: A COOL SPELL SAT OVER ROCKFORD FOR A CONSECUTIVE NINE DAY STRETCH. FROM THE 19TH THROUGH THE 27TH...HIGH TEMPERATURES NEVER SURPASSED THE 70S WHILE LOWS WERE GENERALLY IN THE UPPER 40S AND 50S.
AUGUST 24
AUGUST 24, 1998: A SMALL INTENSE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS RACED ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AT 55 MPH. WHILE THERE WERE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES DOWN AS WELL AS SOME STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS...THE MOST INTENSE DAMAGE OCCURRED FROM NORTHERN OGLE AND EXTREME SOUTHERN WINNEBAGO COUNTIES EAST SOUTHEAST TO SOUTHERN COOK AND EASTERN WILL COUNTIES. THE STRONG WINDS FROM THESE STORMS BLEW DOWN TENTS AND OTHER DEBRIS AT A DISPLAY AT NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY IN DEKALB, INJURING 11 PEOPLE. A BUILDING UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN MINOOKA IN GRUNDY COUNTY COLLAPSED AND A MAN WAS INJURED WHEN HE WAS TRAPPED UNDER THE COLLAPSED WALL. A WORKER WAS CRITICALLY INJURED WHEN HE FELL TWO STORIES FROM THE ROOF OF A BUILDING IN SCHAUMBURG. AND A WOMAN WAS INJURED IN THE FAR SOUTHWEST SIDE OF CHICAGO AS A CTA BUS SHELTER BLEW OVER. THESE STORMS ALSO RESULTED IN 260,000 CUSTOMERS IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS TO LOSE POWER.
AUGUST 25
AUGUST 25, 2003: NORTHERN ILLINOIS EXPERIENCED A BRIEF SPELL OF 90 DEGREE WEATHER FOR THE END OF AUGUST. ON THIS DATE...O'HARE RECORDED A HIGH OF 95 DEGREES WHILE ROCKFORD RECORDED 97 DEGREES. THIS LED TO THE HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORD BEING TIED AT O'HARE WHILE A NEW RECORD HIGH WAS ESTABLISHED AT ROCKFORD.
AUGUST 26
AUGUST 26, 1986: FIFTY MILE PER HOUR THUNDERSTORM WINDS TOPPLED MANY TREES AND PULLED DOWN POWERLINES IN MANY SUBURBAN CHICAGO LOCATIONS...CAUSING POWER OUTAGES TO 12,000 RESIDENTS. LIGHTNING FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS ALSO STRUCK AND KILLED A GROUNDS WORKER AT THE ELLWOOD GOLF COURSE IN GENOA IN DEKALB COUNTY.
AUGUST 27
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 27, 1973: THIS WAS THE THIRD IN A TEN CONSECUTIVE DAY STRETCH WHERE HIGH TEMPERATURES REACHED INTO THE 90S WHILE LOWS ONLY FELL INTO THE 70S. A TOTAL OF SIX TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE EITHER TIED OR SET INCLUDING THE HIGH OF 97 AND THE LOW OF 77 DEGREES THAT WAS SET ON THIS DATE.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 27, 1992: THE COOL SUMMER OF 1992 CONTINUED ITS TREND AT THE END OF AUGUST. ON THIS DATE...THE HIGH ONLY CLIMBED TO A CHILLY 60 DEGREES. THIS SET A LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORD FOR THIS DATE. THIS LED TO AUGUST OF 1992 TO GO DOWN AS THE SECOND COOLEST AUGUST ON RECORD. THE SUMMER OF 1992 ALSO RANKED AS THE SECOND COOLEST SUMMER ON RECORD.
AUGUST 28
AUGUST 28TH, 1990: THE DEADLIEST AND MOST DAMAGING TORNADO OF THE YEAR MOVED SOUTHEAST FROM NEAR OSWEGO TO THE WEST PART OF JOLIET...PASSING THROUGH AND DEVASTATING PLAINFIELD. TRAGICALLY 29 INDIVIDUALS WERE KILLED AND ANOTHER 350 INJURED. TOTAL PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT 165 MILLION DOLLARS. THE MOST DEATHS OCCURRED IN PLAINFIELD...WHERE AT LEAST SEVEN DIFFERENT SUBDIVISIONS WERE DESTROYED.
AUGUST 29
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 29, 1982: IT WAS ANOTHER CHILLY NIGHT IN THE CHICAGO AREA AS THE LOW DROPPED TO 43 DEGREES. THIS ENDED UP TYING WITH 1965 FOR THE LOWEST MINIMUM TEMPERATURE ON THIS DATE. THIS WAS ONE OF FIVE LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS THAT WERE EITHER TIED OR SET OVER THE MONTH.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 29, 1965: IT WAS A COOL END TO AUGUST AS HIGH TEMPERATURES ONLY CLIMBED TO 63 DEGREES FROM THE 28TH THROUGH THE 30TH. THIS ENDED UP SETTING LOW MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE RECORDS ON THE 29TH AND 30TH.
...CHICAGO... AUGUST 30, 2001: THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED OVER NORTHERN ILLINOIS DURING THE EVENING HOURS. A SERIES OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVED ACROSS NORTHERN COOK COUNTY...DUMPING TORRENTIAL AMOUNTS OF RAINFALL. FLOODING WAS REPORTED ON PORTIONS OF THE KENNEDY AND EDENS EXPRESSWAYS. THE 93 MILE DEEP TUNNEL WAS FILLED TO CAPACITY WITH 1.6 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER BY MIDNIGHT...FORCING THE WILMETTE LOCKS TO BE OPENED TO DUMP 75 MILLION GALLONS OF STORM AND SEWER WATER DIRECTLY INTO LAKE MICHIGAN. A MOTORIST WHOSE VISION WAS IMPAIRED BY THE POUNDING RAIN STRUCK AND KILLED A MAN.
...ROCKFORD... AUGUST 30, 1915: ALTHOUGH IT WAS THE END OF AUGUST...IT CERTAINLY FELT LIKE FALL AS THE LOW TEMPERATURE DIPPED TO 35 DEGREES. NOT ONLY DID THIS SET A LOW TEMPERATURE RECORD FOR THE 30TH...BUT IT IS ALSO SET THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED IN AUGUST.
AUGUST 31
AUGUST 31, 1953: NORTHERN ILLINOIS WAS IN THE MIDST OF AN ELEVEN DAY HEAT WAVE. TEMPERATURES DURING THIS PERIOD REACHED WELL INTO THE 90S WITH A COUPLE OF DAYS SURPASSING THE 100 DEGREE MARK. OVER THE ELEVEN DAYS...SIX HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS WERE SET IN ROCKFORD WHILE CHICAGO ENDED UP SETTING HIGH TEMPERATURE RECORDS ON SIX CONSECUTIVE DAYS.
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