Lines of powerful thunderstorms, which appeared in the ominous bow shaped configuration on Doppler radars across the Plains, wreaked havoc Wednesday, injuring scores and knocking out power to entire communities. A dozen twisters had been tallied by NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center late Wednesday evening among the more than 138 reports of severe weather.
In Oklahoma, 63 m.p.h. winds collapsed a tent injuring 40 in Tulsa, and rescuers in Woodall worked to free residents trapped by downed powerlines.
A late season severe weather outbreak threatens Chicago with high winds after a night of thundery downpours and could spawn an outbreak of afternoon t-storms capable of generating microbursts and even twisters over at least sections of the Chicago area. Since 1950, October has hosted only 12% of this area’s severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.
--By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist
