Power Outage in Pontiac, IL

A utility pole and power lines were blown down blocking roads.

Trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down in Pontiac. Some trees were uprooted, including 8 trees in Chatauqua Park. At least one car was damaged by a falling tree limb. Several trees were blown down along East Indiana Avenue.

A large tree was blown down which knocked down power lines.

Trees and power lines were blown down in and around the Pontiac area.

Numerous power lines were blown down throughout Pontiac.

The tornado started just under two tenths of a mile north of the intersection of E 2000 N Rd and County Highway 13. As it moved southeast and crossed N 900 E Rd, there were numerous trees snapped and the path width was approximately 250 ft. At a house near E 1900 N Rd, there were other trees snapped. When the tornado crossed E 1800 N Rd, it strengthened to EF-2 and a barn was totally destroyed, and electrical transmission lines were broken. As it moved southeast past the intersection of Rt 116 and Interstate 55, a small retail building had the exterior walls collapsed. At a mobile home park off S. Ladd St, a mobile home was pushed off its foundation and destroyed. Near the intersection of N 1725 E Rd and E 1550 N Rd, the tornado was 1/4 mile in width and there were 3 snapped power poles and a silo in a field. Peak winds were estimated at 125 mph, and max width was 440 yards. (Tornado 13 of 15).

This is a continuation of a tornado that began in Tazewell County (NWS Central Illinois) and tracked across Woodford County, entering NWS Chicago county warning area in La Salle County, and finally ending in Livingston County. The tornado entered Livingston County about a third of a mile north of E 2400 N Road where power poles were leaning. Several outbuildings were heavily damaged or destroyed on E 2475 N Road. Hardwood trees were snapped on N 200 E Road as well as wooden power poles. A large shed housing a fire engine was completely destroyed with the fire engine rolled onto its side on Long Point Blacktop Road near the intersection of N 400 E Road. On the northeast side of that intersection, a wooded area saw extensive tree damage with numerous trees sheared off about 20 to 30 feet from their bases. The damage path ended about half a mile north of Long Point Blacktop Road between N 450 E Road and Route 23. Maximum wind speeds were estimated to be up to 135 mph.

Several large trees and power lines were blown down.

At its strongest, Pontiac AWOS measured 44 mph sustained winds with gusts to 55 mph. Winds gusted near or in excess of 50 mph for around 4 hours. Power lines were reported to be blown down in the nearby town of Dwight.

A wind gust to 71 mph was measured in Pontiac. Several tree limbs were blown down, some onto power lines.

Tree limbs and power lines were blown down.

Wind gusts were estimated as high as 80 mph. Multiple tree limbs and power lines were blown down. One tree limb fell onto a house on Timber Street causing damage to the roof.

The beginning of the Dwight tornado occurred about 6 miles west of Dwight and about a quarter mile south of IL Route 17. On N 2200 E Road, 0.3 miles south of IL Route 17, a farm house sustained damage to windows, siding, and shingles, with many trees uprooted or damaged. Outbuildings were also damaged. The tornado at this point was rated EF1, with a path width of 70 yards. Debris from this farm was spread 200 yards wide across the field at N 2300E Road. ||The tornado proceeded to strike the golf course at N 2400 E Road, where numerous large trees were snapped and uprooted. Golf cart sheds were unroofed or severely damaged. At this point the tornado was rated low end EF2 with a path width of 300 yards. The tornado then moved east across Interstate 55 and moved into Dwight, damaging a lumber yard and other businesses. At Williams Street and old Route 66 a mobile home park was hit. Fourteen people were injured. One person who was seriously injured, later died. At the mobile home park, 35 mobile homes were destroyed. Damage here was rated EF2. Large trees were uprooted and power poles were snapped at the railroad tracks. At a ball field a little farther east, trees and fences were damaged and an announcer's booth was destroyed. Slightly farther east, there was minor damage to a church, but the church's garage was destroyed. There was damage to the high school auditorium roof and facade, and a greenhouse. A storage garage was destroyed at the high school. ||The tornado then continued east into a subdivision between Philmar Street and Prospect Avenue, where many large trees were downed on top of homes. At Sunset Drive and Wilmac Street a garage door and roof were taken off. A roof was taken off a house on Linden Street a half block west of Il Route 47. Three houses were uninhabitable and had to be destroyed. More than 100 homes had some damage. Damage in Dwight was rated high end EF1 to low end EF2. The tornado dissipated in an open field east of Route 47.

Several tree limbs and power lines were blown down.

Trees and power lines were blown down.

Tree limbs and power lines were blown down throughout the county.

A powerful line of thunderstorms moved across central and eastern Illinois during the early morning hours of May 23rd producing widespread wind damage with a measured wind gust to 83 mph.

Winds gusting between 60 and 70 mph blew down trees and power lines in Pontiac and Fairbury across southern Livingston county.

Severe thunderstorms developed over west central Illinois and moved east across central Illinois during the late afternoon hours of May 14th. Several reports of hail were received with golfball size hail reported in Faribury in Livingston county. In Long Point in Livingston county, two utility poles were damaged and tree limbs were blown down. In Ford county, tree limbs were blown down on cars in Piper City, a semi truck was overturned in Gibson City and tree limbs were blown down in Elliott. In Iroquois county, utility poles and power lines were blown down southeast of Onarga and shingles were blown off a house in Loda. Heavy rain caused minor street flooding in Onarga in Iroquois county. Piper City in Ford county (west of Onarga) reported 2.14 inches of rain.

High winds caused 13 freight cars of a 105 car train to leave the tracks near Ancona. One of the derailed cars was carrying battery acid but no spill occurred. Some of the derailed cars damaged railroad crossing equipment as well as power lines. These high winds were associated with a strong cold which pushed across northern Illinois during the late afternoon and evening hours of February 11th.

Thunderstorms developed over the area, rapidly intensifying and began moving eastward at 30 mph. Wide spread wind damage was reported across all three counties. The community of Chatsworth received the most damage, with large trees and utility lines down throughout the town. Witnesses reported a 160 foot storage unit being lifted up to the height of a telephone pole, turning and then exploding in the air. Estimated cost of the unit is $150,000. A utility trailer and two semi trailers were toppled also. Near Paxton farm buildings were damaged, and in Chebanse numerous trees fell across power lines and into streets.