Wind gusts score some knockouts in Chicago area

Powerful winds whipped across the Chicago area Tuesday, bringing damaging gusts in excess of 70 mph.

Montrose Harbor recorded 60 mph winds, and a weather instrument nearly 3 miles offshore from the Loop registered a 74 mph wind gust, National Weather Service Senior Meteorologist Brett Borchardt said.

Some winds caused damage, including a light pole that fell at Broadway and Addison Street in Lake View, he said.

“We also saw that there was a small power outage in Cook County, which typically would indicate that some tree branches were down, but we haven’t heard of explicitly more damage beyond that,” Borchardt said.

Winds of 55 mph were recorded in Lincoln Park; Monee reported winds of 56 mph; and 53 mph winds blew through Park Forest.

“All of those wind gusts over 50 mph were associated with a band of showers this morning,” Borchardt said, adding that the strong line of showers was initially being monitored for severe weather but that the system was not big enough to generate lightning or more severe conditions.

The forceful winds were expected to subside Tuesday evening, but gusts were still forecast to reach up to 30 mph overnight, the weather service said.

Wednesday’s winds were forecast to be around 15 to 20 mph, with a high around 45 degrees and partly sunny skies.