A swarm of deadly tornadoes ripped across the Chicago area 40 years ago on Friday afternoon April 21, 1967 ravaging Belvidere and Oak Lawn. A fast-moving squall line unleashed the twisters—an outbreak which remains to this day this area’s deadliest. The storms resulted in 58 fatalities. The Oak Lawn twister continued across the Dan Ryan Expressway at the height of the evening rush hour, knocking a semi off an overpass, before proceeding out over Lake Michigan.
More recently, another tornado leveled half of downtown Utica, Ill., including 100 homes—on April 20, 2004. Eight perished when the 100-year-old building housing the Milestone Tavern collapsed during the storm. April has produced more Chicago-area twisters than any other month.
Saturday’s unlimited sunshine—the 2nd consecutive 100% sunny day—was only the third of the past two months. Temperatures surge into the 70s—then approach 80° Sunday.
--By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
