Massive Storm Over Midwest
November 18, 2013
Yesterday, a powerful storm over the U.S. Midwest produced damaging winds, large hail, and at least 77 tornadoes. In Illinois, the state hardest hit by the storm, tornadoes were sighted in a 370-mile (595-kilometer) swath from the southern tip of the state to near Joliet, outside Chicago, at the state’s northern end. Six people were killed, and nearly 80 others were injured in Illinois. In Chicago, the storm forced thousands of Bears football fans to evacuate the lakefront stadium, Soldier Field. The Chicago Weather Center reported that 101 tornado warnings were issued across the state.
More than 100 tornado warnings were issued in Illinois on November 17. (World Book map; map data © MapQuest.com, Inc.)
In central Illinois, the town of Washington, east of Peoria, was hit by an EF-4 tornado with winds of 170 to 190 miles (274 to 306 kilometers) per hour. The twister flattened whole blocks of the town, shattering trees and leveling hundreds of homes. Hundreds more were destroyed or severely damaged in nearby Roanoke, East Peoria, and Pekin. Falling trees pulled down power lines over a wide area, leaving thousands of households without electric power.
”Storm chasers” try to get close to tornadoes to study them with special equipment. (© Byron Turk, Center for Severe Weather Research)
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has declared 7 counties disaster areas. In Indiana, tornadoes and storm damage were reported in 12 counties.
Additional World Book articles:
- The Forecast: Better Weather Prediction Ahead (a special report)
- Twisted: More Terrible Tornadoes (a special report)
- Weather 1925 (a Back in Time article)
