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June 29, 1990 Streamwood IL microburst


Hoosier

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Was searching for something else when I came across this event. It hit Streamwood on the morning of June 29, 1990 with estimated winds anywhere from 110-150 mph (Storm Data says 150 mph) and damaged or destroyed numerous buildings. What I find remarkable is that radar/eyewitnesses observed no rain during the event...something you might expect with a dry microburst in the Plains or western states. The Peoria RAOB from 12z Jun 29 reveals a pretty moist column and no surface based instability and a check of some maps suggests a similar environment over northeast IL.

Here are a couple articles from the Chicago Tribune for anyone who is interested. Also includes some remarks from Dr. Fujita.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-06-30/news/9002220746_1_microburst-tornado-industrial-park

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-07-01/news/9002230069_1_tornadoes-microbursts-tetsuya-fujita

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Usually extreme "straight-line" wind damage like that is associated with a meso vortex.  It seems almost hard to believe the thunderstorm was in a decaying stage when it produced that type of damage.

I read that article again and it makes it sound like the parent thunderstorm wasn't even near that area. Talk about weird.

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I read that article again and it makes it sound like the parent thunderstorm wasn't even near that area. Talk about weird.

Hmm, that is just plain bizarre. Normally destruction like that so far away from the downdraft/precip area would be tornadic. However if Fujita did a survey and said it wasn't tornadic you obviously gotta side with that lol.

Found this from ILX...

June 29, 1990

A microburst wind estimated around 150 mph did extensive damage in the town of Streamwood, in the Chicago metro area. At least $10 million damage was done to 25 stores and industrial buildings. Radar and eyewitness accounts indicated no rain or thunderstorms in the immediate vicinity of the area at the time.

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By the way, DPA/ORD/RFD all reported TS from around 1-10AM. MLI/MSN/MKE had a round or two in and around that time frame too... So there were storms at the location of the event, and based on DPA/ORD...during the event too.

ORD had a gust to 37mph around 3AM and to 38mph at 8AM.

DPA gusted to 40mph from around 2:30-3AM and to 29mph at 8AM.

Based on remarks from ORD OBS, there were two SE moving lines of storms.

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By the way, DPA/ORD/RFD all reported TS from around 1-10AM. MLI/MSN/MKE had a round or two in and around that time frame too... So there were storms at the location of the event, and based on DPA/ORD...during the event too.

ORD had a gust to 37mph around 3AM and to 38mph at 8AM.

DPA gusted to 40mph from around 2:30-3AM and to 29mph at 8AM.

Based on remarks from ORD OBS, there were two SE moving lines of storms.

I noticed that too. But then why do the reports say that there was nothing there?

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By the way, DPA/ORD/RFD all reported TS from around 1-10AM. MLI/MSN/MKE had a round or two in and around that time frame too... So there were storms at the location of the event, and based on DPA/ORD...during the event too.

ORD had a gust to 37mph around 3AM and to 38mph at 8AM.

DPA gusted to 40mph from around 2:30-3AM and to 29mph at 8AM.

Based on remarks from ORD OBS, there were two SE moving lines of storms.

Looking at the PSU NARR data, it looks like their was a heat dome parked just to the southwest. The typical "ring of fire" type pattern that sets up in mid Summer. It looks like a complex blew up somewhere over southern WI/northern IL, and moved generally southeast and eventually went though Indiana. Kind of looks like a nice derecho setup, but it's very hard to tell for sure given the limited data/analysis that I can find.

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Looking at the PSU NARR data, it looks like their was a heat dome parked just to the southwest. The typical "ring of fire" type pattern that sets up in mid Summer. It looks like a complex blew up somewhere over southern WI/northern IL, and moved generally southeast and eventually went though Indiana. Kind of looks like a nice derecho setup, but it's very hard to tell for sure given the limited data/analysis that I can find.

Nice speed max and LLJ....

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