AmyFreeze's Blog

During the Spring Weather Special "Surviving Severe Weather" I interviewed National Weather Service Warning Coordinator Jim Allsopp about the possibility of a significant tornado in the Chicago area and he warned about how people might be caught off guard.  His advice, get ready!   There was no time to procastinate.  Two months later, an outbreak south of Chicago. 

   Mike Friedrich of Shorewood, Il took this photo June 7th at 4:45 p.m. travelling North on I 47 5 miles south of Dwight.

A total of eight tornado touchdowns were confirmed for the June 7th Severe Weather Outbreak.   Photos of the twisters and all the damage are still coming in to Fox Chicago WEATHERWATCH.

The last time a multiple outbreak of this magnitude happened in Cook County was June 1966.

On Saturday June 7th, we were under a Moderate Risk from the Storm Prediction Center for severe storms.  From early in the day, Live Power Doppler had the storms moving out of IOWA in range as they moved eastward.  We had the first storm reports and were the first to report the tornado warnings live on TV.   Fox Chicago Meteorologists Mark Strehl and Steve Baron tracked the storms live on the air as the barrelled through the southwestern counties and eventually through southern Cook County.  Meteorologist Tammie Souza chased the storms as they touched down and was among the first to see the damage.  

Storm spotters and weatherwatchers joined our coverage online with up to three thousand people in live chat at once!   A special thanks to everyone who gave eyewitness account and sent in reports and photos and video!    We are very thankful no one was seriously injured in these storms. 

We know a serious storm can happen anywhere, anytime and here at Fox Chicago WEATHERWATCH we will be ready. 

Amy Freeze

Chief Meteorologist