Severe thunderstorms caused widespread flooding, downed power lines, trees falling onto houses and vehicles getting stuck in water across Lake and McHenry counties Thursday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a severe thunderstorm warning and a tornado watch for all of the Chicagoland area on Thursday evening.
Lake and McHenry counties were both under the warning and watch.
The NWS said around 6 p.m. that severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Paddock Lake to McHenry to Kirkland, moving east-northeast at 50 mph.
60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail were possible in the storm.
Forecasters warned of hail damage to vehicles and wind damage to roofs, siding and trees.
Fire departments in Lake and McHenry counties were kept busy in the evening responding to storm-related calls.
Firefighters and emergency personnel responded to numerous weather-related incidents throughout the Cary Fire Protection District, Nunda Rural Fire Protection District, Woodstock Fire/Rescue District and portions of western McHenry County served by the Harvard and Marengo Fire & Rescue Districts.
The fire districts’ Public Information Officer Alex Vucha said strong thunderstorms moved across McHenry County, bringing heavy rainfall, localized flooding and scattered reports of downed power lines.
The most significant impacts from the storms were widespread roadway flooding and hazardous travel conditions.
In Woodstock, crews responded to several reports of flooded roadways and stranded motorists as heavy rain overwhelmed drainage systems in some areas, Vucha said.
One of those calls was at McHenry Avenue and Eastwood Drive around 6:40 p.m. A person was initially reported to be inside a partially submerged car but was able to get out on their own.
In Marengo, floodwaters forced the closure of Route 23 between West Coral Road and Grange Road. Barricades were requested to protect motorists.
Fire crews assisted a driver out of a box truck that became partially submerged in the water off the roadway around 8:30 p.m.
Crews throughout the county also responded to reports of downed power lines and tree limbs caused by strong winds, Vucha said.
“Despite the widespread nature of the storms, no major damage or serious storm-related injuries were reported within the impacted districts,” he said.
The fire districts said residents are reminded to avoid flooded roadways, never drive around barricades and stay clear of downed power lines as conditions can change rapidly during severe weather events.
Firefighters also responded to numerous reports of trees that had fallen onto houses, causing damage, in McHenry, Cary, Mundelein, North Chicago and Wauconda.
The McHenry Police Department said Front Street between John Street and Oak Street was shut down due to flooding.
ComEd said Friday that more than 3,000 full-time employees are continuing restoration efforts, with approximately 400 mutual assistance personnel expected to arrive to provide additional support.
“As of 6 a.m., roughly 492,000 customers have been restored, with roughly 175,000 still without power after Wednesday’s and Thursday’s storms swept through the territory,” ComEd said.