Strongest winds ever recorded in Chicago

Dear Tom,
What are the strongest winds we've ever had in the Chicago area?
Bob Klicpera Romeoville

Dear Bob,
Officially the windiest day in the Chicago area occurred more than a century ago on
February 12, 1894. On that day a raging blizzard not only brought more than 10 inches
of snow to the city, but the ferocious northeast winds that accompanied it piling the
snow into huge drifts, also produced the city's all-time official highest wind of 87
m.p.h. Of course the area has been frequently blasted by strong wind gusts during
severe thunderstorms. On August 26, 1965 Midway Airport measured a record wind
gust to 88 m.p.h. and at O'Hare a wind gust reached 84 m.p.h. during a severe
thunderstorm on March 27, 1991. Throughout the years thunderstorm wind gusts
approaching 100 m.p.h. have been reported throughout the metropolitan area but are
not considered to be official.