CHICAGO (WLS) — The Chicago area is bracing for challenging travel conditions on Monday, as forecasters warn of strong winds, light snow, and frigid temperatures.
A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for regions north and west of Chicago, effective until 10 a.m., while a Wind Advisory covers the entire Chicago area. Residents should prepare for potentially hazardous conditions.
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Meteorologist Mark McGinnis from ABC7 Accuweather cautions that wind gusts might exceed 50 miles per hour at times, exacerbating the cold weather’s impact.
The chilly spell is expected to persist throughout the week, with forecasted flurries on Tuesday afternoon followed by light snow on Wednesday evening.
This wintery weather pattern follows a confirmed tornado in Illinois on Sunday, particularly impacting Iroquois County. As a result, the National Weather Service will dispatch a survey team to assess damage across Livingston, Ford, and Iroquois counties, with up to six areas under scrutiny for tornado-related destruction.
The National Weather Service plans to send a survey team to Livingston, Ford, and Iroquois counties Monday to investigate up to six areas damaged by possible tornadoes.
The severe storms caused damage across parts of the area, including Livingston County.
he roofs of not one, but at least two homes were ripped off in the Motorola Subdivision in Pontiac Sunday afternoon. A fast-moving storm raced through the area around 3 p.m., leaving debris, not just from the roofs, but from downed trees strewn all over the area. Sunday evening, repair crews remained on site, with much of the neighborhood pitch black.
Livingston County was battered by storms all day, and 23 miles away in the village of Forrest, a line of storms passed through Sunday morning leaving behind a downed tree.
“I heard a big crash at this end of the house,” a resident named Tina said. “When I was able to come look this tree had come down and it put a hole in the roof of my house and a hole in the roof of my garage.”
More significantly, part of the roof was torn off the gymnasium at Prairie Central Junior High School. Luckily, between the weekend and it being winter break, no one was inside at the time.
“We got some water damage on the inside but for now it looks like most of the damage was contained to the gymnasium,” said Brian Quam, Sup.t of Prairie Central Schools. “The educational spaces are in good shape and unaffected.”
The good news is at this point no injuries have been reported as a result of Sunday’s storms.
