Derecho Making Itself Known: Direct, Straight Line Winds Affecting 380,000 ComEd Customers
A huge and fast moving Derecho traveled hundreds of miles across the Midwest Monday, downing trees, destroying crop fields, and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people. ComEd reporting more than 800,000 customers left without power at the height of the storm and some 380,000 customers are still without power as of 7:30 a.m. ComEd reporting power may not be back until later today and possibly up to 2 days.
According to the Oxford dictionary, Derecho a line of intense, widespread, and fast-moving windstorms and sometimes thunderstorms that moves across a great distance and is characterized by damaging winds.
High winds and hard rain swept through the region yesterday, ripping off roofs, knocking down trees and causing widespread power outages. The National Weather Service reported wind gusts of 40 to 70 miles per hour. The service also issued multiple tornado warnings. A brief tornado in Rogers Park. Firefighters responded to several fires caused by fallen power lines. No injuries were reported. And, dozens of flights were canceled at O’Hare and Midway airports.
