City cleanup continues after storms swept through the Naperville area on Wednesday.
According to Linda LaCloche, the city’s director of communications, wind gusts of up to 68 mph were recorded during the storm, downing trees and branches and knocking out power for some of the city’s residents. The north and east sides of the city were the most heavily impacted, with more than 580 storm-related calls coming in to the city between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m.
LaCloche said crews were out all night working on outages. As of 9:20 a.m. today, about 450 people were still without power. The estimated restoration time for those outages, the city says, is 5 p.m. today.
All roadways that had been blocked due to storm damage were cleared by midnight. City crews continue to work today on more debris cleanup at intersections and other high-priority requests. The city is currently assessing whether it will implement a special free bulk brush collection in certain areas, saying it’s currently “too soon to know.” If it decides to do so, residents will be notified via the city’s website, social media channels, and through Naper Notify.
Those who need to report downed trees and outages can call (630) 420-6060. The city notes that its system can only handle 50 callers at a time, so there may be delays. Downed trees can also be reported directly to the Public Works Request Center online.
Centennial Beach closed Thursday due to tree damage
The Naperville Park District has closed Centennial Beach today due to tree damage at the site, as reported in a social media post.
Sameera Luthman, director of marketing and communications for the park district, said that besides some damage to fencing and signing, the district is also “assessing the exterior of the elevator for any damage that may have been caused by a downed limb.”
The beach is expected to reopen Friday, June 12.
Luthman said several parks in the city’s downtown and north side had also been impacted by the storm, with maintenance crews hard at work cleaning up debris and assessing damage. What’s been found so far are mostly downed trees and limbs, and will take several days to clear.
The parks are open, but guests are asked to avoid areas with fallen debris or downed trees.
More severe weather predicted today
But the severe weather isn’t over. The National Weather Service says more storms for the area are expected today. The first round will be between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., with the second between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m.
The Naperville area is at severe threat level 2 for the earlier round, and is sitting on the south border of the current model for the 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. window, which carries a severe threat level of 3 to 4. That model shows Naperville completely within severe threat level 3 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Image courtesy: NWS Chicago
The NWS says tornadoes are possible during that 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. window, with the chance for wind gusts of up to 80 mph, damaging hail, and flash flooding.
They encourage the public to stay weather aware today and have multiple ways to receive alerts.
LaCloche said the city has staff on standby for any additional damage that may come from today’s storms.
Residents are also encouraged to clear leaves and debris from storm drains near their homes ahead of the expected downpour to help reduce localized flooding.
Safety precautions in the event of a tornado
Ahead of the storm, the NWS is reminding the public about the best precautions to take in the event of a tornado. Sheltering in an interior room of a home or building is best, preferably in a basement or the lowest floor of a building.
Bicycle or motorcycle helmets can be used to protect your head, and heavy coats, blankets, or pillows can help protect against flying debris.
For those caught outside during a tornado, the NWS advises either finding a ditch or staying in your car and covering your head for protection. They advise the public to avoid sheltering under a highway overpass, as a tunneling effect there can increase wind speeds.
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