TORNADOES: How do they form? Can they hit major cities and do they strike places near the Great Lakes? Yes.
Meteorologist Brittney Merlot breaks down the tornado that tore through the suburbs of Chicago, just 20 miles from downtown, in Woodridge and Naperville, IL on Sunday June 20th, 2021.
The violent wedge tornado touched down at 11:00pm, in the dark. Leaving a path nearly 20 miles long of devastation and destruction. It's preliminary rated an EF-3 tornado, but damage surveyors will be out there today to confirm. Trees were thrown through buildings, homes were collapsed, cars were rolled and fires flared up from downed power lines and trees.
The tornado dropped out of a line of thunderstorms, ones that we commonly see here in NE Wisconsin. The rarity though, was this tornado is estimated to be miles wide and stayed on the ground for 20+ minutes. They usually only last 5-10 minutes and don't get as violent.
In the video above, learn how tornadoes form and what ingredients are needed for these vicious events.
