Just 1 Minute of Outflow Boundary Surface Winds from North in Arlington Heights
Most severe weather Saturday occurred in McHenry County and Lake County, where a funnel or tornado or cloud rotation was spotted near Route 14 and Oak Grove Road near Harvard at about 2:19 p.m.
Numerous downed power lines were reported across McHenry County and Lake County. The largest number of customers without power were located east of I-94.
A cold outflow boundary from Lake Michigan pushed cooler air into the area causing instability and storms, but probably also inhibited actual tornado formation.
@SchwarzABC7 Mundelein home lighting strike, multiple Fire District response pic.twitter.com/adDn8pbzgr
— ᑭᑌG ᗰᗩᔕTEᖇ (@PugMaster) July 18, 2015
At a home in Mundelein on the 1600 block of Verde Lane, lightning is believed to have caused an attic fire.
Firefighters responded to the home at about 3:30 p.m. and elevated the response to a MABAS Box “Change of Quarters” at about 3:51 p.m. and a full MABAS Box Alarm at 3:59 p.m.
The MABAS Box Alarm was struck out at about 4:36 p.m. after the fire was extinguished by about 4:20 p.m.
Firefighter/paramedics from Arlington Heights, Deerfield, Buffalo Grove, Countryside, Gurnee, Highwood, Lake Forest, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Long Grove, Round Lake, Wauconda, and Waukegan assisted Mundelein firefighters either at the scene or by standing by in Mundelein fire stations.
In Arlington Heights, a large tree snapped at the trunk about 6 or 7 feet about the ground in front of a home on Windsor Drive north of Wilshire Lane. Only landscaping damage was reported. Only one other tree was reported down in Arlington Heights. The downed trees were a surprise, since thunderstorms and associated winds in Arlington Heights were not severe.
Saturday Storms: Cloud Rotation, Lightning Strike House Fire, Tree Down in Arlington Heights
http://t.co/YSseKcgQdA pic.twitter.com/zUa7ktTvi9
— Cardinal News (@EarlyReport) July 19, 2015
During the stormy weather, cumulus clouds rose quickly to form storms, while surface winds shifted from the north with the cold outflow boundary from Lake Michigan. Right before the storm, winds were from the southeast and south. Earlier the winds were records from the east, southeast, north, west, and southwest. Air temperature dropped from 87°F to 75°F when the storms hit.
Saturday’s high temperature just before storms hit was 87°F at 1:51 pm at O’Hare. The Heat Index High at the same time was 96°F.
Dew points Saturday were as high as 76°F at O’Hare, and as high as 79°F in Kankakee, and as high as 82°F in Streator.
No rain in the forecast for Sunday.
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