31 Tornadoes Hit Chicago: Unpacking The Causes Behind Extreme Weather

Illinois is still evaluating the damage caused by a series of severe storms that struck the state two weeks ago. The National Weather Service in Chicago has reported a record-breaking 31 tornadoes from a single storm event, surpassing last year’s daily record of 22 tornadoes.

As discussions continue about how to categorize these storms, researchers are investigating the underlying factors contributing to such extreme weather and exploring ways to better protect communities.

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Trent Ford, the Illinois State Climatologist, noted that while it’s relatively straightforward to link climate change to extreme heat or cold, connecting it to storms that produce tornadoes, hail, and other severe conditions is more complex.

“What we do see is that over the last 30, 40 years, we have seen trends of increasing tornado activity,” Ford said. “So as models get more advanced as computation methods get more advanced, we’re able to see more and more of those connections … but I think a lot more work needs to be done to really solidify what that actually means.” Ford compared the current methods to “using a hatchet for something that requires more of a scalpel.”

Scott Collis, a scientist and department head at Argonne National Laboratory, highlighted how advancements in technology could improve the prediction and tracking of severe weather events such as tornadoes.

“Not only do we need to have higher resolutions — so basically a better digital camera gives you more detail,” Collis said. “We also need to build new physics into the climate models. We need to understand the physics of cities, of these small scale structures, the physics, frankly, of how the lake interacts with the city, as well.”

Collis also emphasized the importance of monitoring extreme heat when considering deadly weather events. He noted that while tornadoes claim about 76 lives annually, heat-related causes result in over 170 fatalities each year.

“And extreme heat — it discriminates,” he said. “Because it will go after the most vulnerable populations: those without access to air conditioning, those that cannot take rest breaks and those with underlying comorbidities at the same time.”

Ford emphasized the crucial need for effective emergency services to adequately warn communities about extreme weather. He noted that no deaths were reported from the storms on July 14 and 15, attributing this fortunate outcome to the timely warnings and preparedness efforts.

“That’s the work of resources and research and just the hard work of folks in the National Weather Service and county and state emergency management,” Ford said. “And it’s those kinds of events like we had a couple of weeks ago that really show the value of investments in those services, particularly the National Weather Service… and so making sure that we can dedicate those resources to the National Weather Service is paramount.”

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