Tornado in Cook County, Illinois

A tornado touched down in South Chicago Heights in the Schubert's Woods Forest Preserve just north of Sauk Trail and west of Forest Preserve Drive. This tornado then tracked northeast across the forest, eventually emerging from the forest near Euclid and west 26th Streets. At this location, large trees were uprooted and portions of a roof were lifted off a large warehouse building. The tornado continued northeast across residential areas north of 26th Street and west of Chicago Road. In this neighborhood, several homes sustained minor damage with two houses sustaining significant damage from large trees falling onto the homes. The tornado continued northeast across Chicago Road eventually lifting near 16th Street and Center Street. Damage to trees was noted all along the path including several large uprooted or snapped in half.

There was an intense narrow path of damage starting just southeast of the intersection of Lincoln Highway and Governors Highway. The concentrated path went from near Memorial Park to the train platform at Main Street and Hickory. In this neighborhood many large limbs were down and some trees were uprooted. A garage was destroyed and the roof of the train platform was damaged. Winds through this area were likely 90 to 105 mph, which is EF1 on the enhanced Fujita Scale. The path of the damage was from northwest to southeast, but many of the trees were blown from southwest to northeast, across the damage path. This indicated there was likely rotation. Several residents reported seeing rotation or a funnel cloud in this area. Lighter damage continued southeast of the railroad tracks near Wildwood Park and east to the Norwood Plaza at Western and 26th Street. It appears that the tornado dissipated in the forest preserve near 26th Street.

Based on eyewitness accounts, a condensation funnel may not have been visible, but damage to roofs of three buildings in an industrial park along Wise Road just west of Mitchell Boulevard show signs of uplift but minimal winds. Only a couple of tree limbs were knocked down in the area. An eyewitness observed roofing material and insulation lifted into the air and swirling rapidly. Witnesses also observed rotation in a low hanging cloud base.