What began as another sweltering summer afternoon quickly turned into one of the most destructive weather events the southwest suburbs have seen in years.
Residents across Palos Park, Palos Heights and Orland Park watched ominous skies darken Monday afternoon before powerful thunderstorms unleashed destructive winds, torrential rain and possible tornadoes that toppled towering trees, damaged homes and businesses, and knocked out power to thousands.
The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings Monday as the storms swept across northern Illinois. Radar indicated areas of rotation near Orland Park, prompting warnings for surrounding communities, including Palos Park and Palos Heights. Meteorologists also reported a possible rain-wrapped tornado near Orland Park, although damage surveys are still underway to determine whether a tornado touched down.
The storm moved quickly but left behind widespread damage, with residents emerging from their homes to find streets covered with debris, large trees split apart and power lines down throughout the area.
Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge said there has been no official confirmation of a tornado touchdown in the village, but he believes the community came dangerously close to experiencing one.
“There is no official confirmation on a tornado touchdown in Orland Park, but I will say we were either really close or directly in a tornado alley,” Dodge said.
Dodge said he watched the storm approach on radar from the north while hail moved in from the northeast.
“We had strong weather coming at us from all directions,” he said.
The storm caused significant damage throughout Orland Park, where trees were uprooted, branches blocked roadways and neighborhoods were left without electricity. Nearly 9,000 ComEd customers in the village were affected by power outages.
“Regardless of confirmation, yesterday’s severe weather caused widespread damage and power disruptions across Orland Park,” Dodge said. “Village crews and public safety personnel are actively working with our utility partners to clear debris, restore services and assess impacts.”
Dodge said village officials remained in close communication with ComEd as crews worked to restore service.
“Right now, we have our public works crews out cleaning up debris,” Dodge said. “Our most important goal is keeping people safe and updated.”
One of the village’s busiest intersections, 159th Street and La Grange Road, lost power to its traffic signals and remained impacted into Tuesday morning. Police officers and emergency personnel quickly responded to direct traffic, while temporary emergency lighting and four-way stop signs were installed to help keep motorists safe.
Dodge reminded residents experiencing power outages to report them directly to their utility provider to help speed up restoration efforts.
Palos Park’s heavily wooded neighborhoods also suffered extensive damage from the storm. Mature trees that had stood for decades were uprooted or split apart by powerful winds, leaving branches scattered across yards, sidewalks and residential streets.
Palos Park Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters praised the efforts of village employees and first responders who worked through the night following the storm.
“Yesterday’s severe storms were a reminder of how fortunate we are to have such a dedicated team serving the Village of Palos Park,” Milovich-Walters said. “I want to thank our Police Department and Public Works crews who worked throughout the night, clearing roadways and helping keep our residents safe.”
Milovich-Walters also thanked Village Hall staff members who handled calls from residents and provided updates as information became available.
“I’d also like to thank our Village Hall staff for fielding calls and providing updates as they became available,” she said. “Village Hall power has been restored and ComEd is working on repairing the remaining outages in our area.”
Milovich-Walters said she was proud of the community response following the storm.
“I’m so proud of how our entire team came together to serve our community when it mattered most,” she said.
Residents in Palos Park worked alongside neighbors to clear debris, move fallen limbs and assess damage while crews began the cleanup process.
Palos Heights also faced significant storm damage after two separate waves of severe weather moved through the city, one around 11:30 a.m. and another around 5 p.m., according to City Administrator Adam Jasinski. The storms arrived as the city was still recovering from another damaging storm on June 10.
“Yesterday’s storms brought a second set of challenges for the residents of Palos Heights just as we were recovering from the June 10 storm,” Jasinski said. “In many areas, the combination of high winds and heavy rainfall created more damage than the storm we experienced a month ago.”
Jasinski said the storms brought wind speeds of more than 80 mph, contributing to extensive tree damage throughout the city.
“The heavy rainfall backed up some of our sewer systems,” Jasinski said.
The first storm caused numerous trees and large branches to fall throughout the city, with the heaviest damage occurring west of Harlem Avenue. Jasinski said that area was hit especially hard, with numerous overturned oak trees creating dangerous conditions.
City crews immediately began clearing roadways, but several streets remained closed because of downed power lines, including 76th Avenue. Those areas will remain barricaded until utility crews can safely restore service.
The storms also caused widespread power outages in Palos Heights, affecting approximately 20% of residents. Jasinski said service disruptions for some cellular carriers created additional communication challenges during the city’s storm response.
Cleanup efforts began immediately following the storms. Two city chipper trucks were deployed throughout the community, while Home Tree Service assisted with removing large fallen city trees. Crews will continue working until storm debris has been collected.
“We know many residents are once again dealing with fallen trees, power outages and storm damage,” Jasinski said. “We appreciate your patience and understanding as our Public Works employees, first responders, contractors and utility crews continue working around the clock to restore services and keep our community safe.”
The storms were part of a widespread severe weather outbreak that moved through northern Illinois, bringing damaging winds, heavy rainfall, hail and tornado warnings across the region.
The severe weather also caused widespread power outages throughout the Chicago area as utility crews worked to repair damaged infrastructure. Fallen trees, debris and flooding created hazardous travel conditions, while flights at O’Hare and Midway international airports were delayed or canceled.
By Tuesday morning, the roar of thunder had been replaced by the sound of chainsaws across the Palos communities.
Residents placed branches and debris along curbs, public works crews cleared streets and utility workers continued efforts to restore power. Neighbors checked on one another and helped with cleanup as communities began the long process of recovering from the storm.
Weather officials will continue reviewing data to determine whether a tornado touched down in the southwest suburbs. Regardless of the final findings, residents across Palos Park, Palos Heights and Orland Park were left with a clear reminder of the storm’s strength, and the importance of neighbors, first responders and local crews working together when severe weather strikes.
