Wind damage, fallen trees reported after storm rips through Evanston

SHARE Wind damage, fallen trees reported after storm rips through Evanston

Storms that prompted a 50-minute closure of Lollapalooza in Chicago left trees down and large hail in parts of north suburban Evanston, officials said.

The NWS warning was first issued at 2:20 p.m. for Chicago — specifically Rogers Park and Montrose Harbor on the North Side. A severe thunderstorm moving east at 45 mph was spotted on the North Side just before 3 p.m.

In Evanston, at least one person may have been injured after high winds reportedly knocked a tree down in the area, according to Matt Friedlein, NWS meteorologist. The Evanston police and fire departments couldn’t be reached to confirm that.

There were several reports of large trees knocked down, Friedlein said.

There were multiple reports of about 1-inch sized hail across the Chicago metropolitan area, including a claim of golf-ball sized hail in northwest suburban Roselle, Friedlein said.

But it’s not over, Friedlein said. Storms are likely to return across the metro area by 6 p.m.

Officials began evacuating the Grant Park music festival at 2:40 p.m. after NWS warned of golf-sized hail and 60 mph winds. That warning expired by 3:15 p.m, and festival-goers were let back in by 3:30 p.m.

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