Thunderstorms rumble across parts of the Chicago area Tuesday morning. As on other
occasions in recent days, the storms strike an ominous pose as they gather in Iowa and
western Illinois then scatter and only selectively distribute their wind and rain once
here. Nowhere has this been more evident -- and for farmers and gardeners, more
frustrating -- than in Chicago's southern suburbs. There rain has been in short supply
this month. Lawns have gone brown in recent days and there have even been reports
that the leaves of corn plants have been curling, indicating stress from lack of
moisture. The irony is this has transpired at the same time rivers have flooded in the
northwest suburbs.
Monday evening's thunderstorms towered to 60,000 feet while pounding sections of
Iowa and Wisconsin with 70 m.p.h. winds and heavy rains.
BERTHA ONE OF 13 'MAJOR' EARLY SEASON HURRICANES TO FORM SINCE 1851
Hurricane Berth's winds strengthened to 115 m.p.h. late Monday, making it a Category
3 storm. It becomes one of only 13 early season hurricanes to attain "major" (Category
3) status.
--Tom Skilling, Chief Meteorologist, WGN-TV/Chicago Tribune
