Several times every decade, we get a spectacular storm--like today! Flash floods in Iowa spreading east! Supercells moving right through the city at 50 MPH! We lost power a while ago, back on and off now (computer on battery power, logging off after sending this). One tornado missed us 20 mi south, another 7 mi north, but they took out the power grid for a bit (hope nobody got killed), then headed out onto Lake Michigan (hope there were no PBers out there). Winds here were 80 MPH sustained for brief periods (10 minutes). Temperature fell 20 degrees in a minute. Lime green skies! Reporter on weather station just said that the Chicago Historical Society building--a little ancient museum adjacent to Lincoln Park Zoo (world's 2nd oldest and most heavily visited zoo, still has free admission) was wrecked (it was open at the time--hope nobody got killed). White out from rain, visibility down to feet. People told by National Weather Service to abandon cars, head for cover. People indoors instructed to head to basement immediately (absurd). Entire city (and all surrounding counties) under flash flood watches or warnings. The north branch of the Chicago River, 2 blocks north of me, is closing in on the major road around here, and the big storms and pulses of water are still to come! The DuPage River, 4 miles west, floods routinely, but was dredged last year (it's in the rich hood around these parts).

Interesting weather... Nothing to worry about with tornado, unless you hear it or the air raid sirens. Floods can be a problem--OK one minute, then like New Orleans the next. Glad I shipped my gear to the boat!

The kid, cat and dog are scared (good for character, IMO). Rocketmen often run into giant storms when out in the hinterlands with no place to go, no prob. Though, three were killed at the AIRFEST launch last year by a flash flood. Really, it's the floods and the lightning that are dangerous, as well as the wind cause it sends stuff flying (including downed power lines). Wife grew up in east TN, is also used to severe weather--her house was bent by a tornado when she was a girl.

Later, I hope! :-) Hahaha!! Jes kidding, but I gotta turn the computer off-don't wanna drain the battery in case I need it...

Just finished a hike, unbelievable damage in my hood. The worst event on my street (3 houses east of me, other side of street), a two story house had the entire roof ripped off (it vanished--no sign of it), and then torrential rain totally flooded the house--they ain't living there. On the next street over is the worst tree fall damage, a 100 year old, 150 ft tall tree--second tallest in the block--snapped near the roots and totaled four cars. Only two of the cars are visible, one a minivan that--well, some of the tires popped from the impact. All over every street, giant limbs have been snapped off (some 40 feet long, 2 feet in diameter): limbs are still falling. The major east/west road is completely impassable. Mostly emergency vehicles of all types plowing the hood, people walking around in a daze trying to take pics, staying away from trees. The river is barely below the street level, white water. The Iowa flood water will start arriving in about 3 hours. Same time the next string of storms are due, though they may be missing us to the south. I live on the north side, the south got it way worse.

The little museum with the roof that collapsed sent 47 people to the ER, 7 serious or critical. Sirens going off constantly. Widespread hail damage to the north. Ground completely saturated, any wind and many, many more trees are coming down (roots are in mud, not solid ground). Two power lines down in my hood--lucky break on that. The ER where I work (downtown, 13 miles SE) is full, staff called in, same all over city. Lots of broken glass from skyscrapers and high-rise, people falling and rolling due to wind, many car wrecks.

Tomorrow could be worse, as the next line of super storms is forecast. Finally saw the first aircraft approach O'Hara (15 minutes NW of my by freeway), so for the next few hours, it is cool, except for the falling limbs...

Took 9 pictures, none came out even with flash, it is way too dark. Will take a hike tomorrow.

Amazing storm, hopefully the worst is over. Nobody that I know has flood insurance. I don't either. Oh man...

OK, I decided to go and try to get a pic of the big tree that creamed the cars, because there are crews still out, trying to get some of the streets passable for the morning rush (assuming there will be one). Thunder is starting up again, and the air is hot and sticky--like a sauna. This is the best I could do, it is very dark. While I took this, I heard cracking of more giant limbs 100' above my head, and decided this was good enough till morning...

planet, sound like you might wanna grab the family , pack some food , batterys , water and such , head up to the mountains.

pack a pistol, just in case.

hope this message goes through to you, good luck brother.

Dodoman, thanks bro. We are packed--the kid even put in some stuffed animals and her favorite fleece. But, everyone here is screwed.

There is zero high ground. The closest hills--only maybe 100 feet tall--are in Lake Geneva, 60 miles away. The flood is coming from the west. The south was smashed the worst. The north was smushed too. East is the lake. There is nowhere to run.

If a disaster hits here big (flood, pandemic, power grid failure, bioterror, or terror dirty bomb are the obvious likely candidates), it will be like the fall of Saigon on steroids. People here are soft--most SUVs have never been off-road. City slickers...

Oh yeah, forgot, perhaps 25 miles north there are a few privately owned (guestimated) 60' tall hills in Highland Park--the nations richest suburb. I passed through there one time last year on a little road trip in my van with the drummer at night. We were listening to tapes, discussing music. The police began to follow us within moments of entering the town, and stayed with us until we left. According to reports, they got hammered too.

Man, the city that works. Major arteries cleared over night, streets still crawling with crews: bulldozers, back hoes, tractors, open bed semis, tree teams, foot teams...

Reports of the Historical Building were wrong, it was a warehouse. Still have 250K without power.

People going through rush hour like it's all OK. Wife refused to let me take family to Green Bay for the weekend (kid was with me). RADAR shows an 800-mile long army of storms heading directly to cow town. The sun is out, people are going about their business... Zero public information announcements. Insane.

Few pics (weather station has been showing lots). Here is the start of the Green Bay Bike Trail (excellent bike path, all forest, Chicago to Green Bay), 1/4 mile south of north branch of Chicago River. This is looking north at a large field used for parties, festivals, holidays. The top of the fence on right is 10' tall--secures the toboggan slide. Surround is protected by 20' berms. Just behind me is my hood. Wonder if there are any fish in there now?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Planet,

The smushed minivan on the next street north of mine...

One of the other cars taken out by the tree, street just north of mine (other two were already removed--were leaking fuel).

Where's the top of this pine? This was the only pine that I found damaged. Pines held up really well--must be more flexible.

Finally, this moose was taking it all in stride...

It looks as though Chicago will be spared the feared second hit. The jet stream turned south ahead of a cold front, and pushed the army-ant storms about 50 miles south of the city. This was a lucky break for us, but many poor towns and cities in KS, MO (St. Louis got a big hit), IA, IL, IN (Gary got a big hit), MI, and OH got pounded. Just as happened yesterday, the storms traveled in a single-file line, each dumping on the same places, all day long. The National Weather Service says there is still a 60% chance of "thundershowers" overnight, but RADAR suggests to me that big storms tonight are unlikely.

This was too close of a call: the street just North of me made the national evening news (multiple channels--same video tape), and was shown many times on the Weather Channel. Had the predicted rain come, we'd be making the news for some time...

It was often asked why some stayed in New Orleans as Katrina bore in. I spent most of last night and today thinking that I was just like they. Floods are a reality in the midwest (who can forget the massive Mississippi and Missouri River floods), and I don't want to be trapped in this flat land when it comes. I think it's time to try to find a way to turn my skills into endeavors that pay big coin, and get out of this place.

good to hear your report, your still intaking oxygen, goood.


did it slow down any.

Hi, Dodoman, et al.

Just back from a 10 mile hike. Here is a report about the aftermath...

As summarized by local TV news: In the city there still are hundreds of "random" blocks without power, the boss of the City Streets division is asking people for patience, because there still are thousands of large, dangerous, fallen trees that have to be removed (dude's words). Only one guy was reported killed by falling tree limb.

LESSON #1. Smoke does not go up wind, and either does weather! The weather channel lies! Any dolt could see from RADAR that the cold front dislocated the line of marching storms 50 miles south of the city (extrapolating a straight line is simple). What, did they think that the front was going to back up? They simply wanted to keep all the scared people in Chicago glued to their show. They SHOULD have focused on all those people who were getting clobbered, but there are more viewers in Chicago than there are in ALL the other towns that got blasted put together. They want ratings because that makes their ads more expensive and easier to sell. Weather-dot-fraud.

Now for my hike report. The giant festival field 2 blocks north of my house (Green Bay bike trail) is draining nicely (see photo).

To the east of the festival field the North Branch of the Chicago River turns around heading south and then east, paralleling the major east/west road. At it's highest, the channel of the river was estimated under at least 15' of water. The channel is about 1/2 mile east of the first photo, and as seen in this telephoto shot, the entire forest--two square miles in this quadrangle, is completely under water.