Severe Thunderstorm Roars Through Bolingbrook

Update 9:17 a.m.: According to Woodridge Patch, ComEd has said it could take days to restore power. 

Update 9 a.m.: Still at least 10,000 people without power, according to ComEd's power outage map.

 Here is where most of the damage was done, according to the Bolingbrook Police Department. 

Down Trees:

• Orchard and Independence
• Briarcliff south of Schmidt
• Briarcliff and Oakwood
• Pacific and Northridge
• Appling and Cobb
• Minor and Pinecrest
• Boughton and Vincent
• Boughton and Palmer
• Boughton and Sunshine southbound
• Homestead and Rockhurst
• Route 53 and Beaconridge
• Flagstaff and Blackhawk
• Whitehall and Cambridge
• St. Andrews and Bonnie Brae
• Hampshire and Charlotte
• Rosehill and Cottonwood
• Ashbury and Charlestown
• Thistle and Lily Cache
• 256 Butteview
• 127 Monticello
• 221 Bedford
• 549 Cambridge
• 315 Thistle
• 135 E. Robinhood
• 573 Picadilly
• 1501 Remington
• 321 Homestead
• 272 Edgehill
• 531 Jordan Way
• 405 Liberty
• 1842 Marne

Power Lines Down/Other:

• 214 Northridge
• Beaconridge lot H
• Boughton/Pinecrest - leaning electrical pole - strip mall evacuated
• 213 Edgehill
• 337 Rockhurst 
• 215 Hadleigh - gas meter knocked off  the house
• Orchard & Lily Cache - stop sign down

Update 12:09 a.m.: A few of our Facebook fans were kind enough to share these storm updates:

"Hadleigh (Road) had fire trucks, trees blocking road, was turned away, told road was impassable." - Terri O'Gara

"A neighbor had 2 large evergreen trees uprooted from her lawn on Northridge (Avenue)." - Matt Welko

"Sirens went off twice tonite, but nothing devestating came thru our area of town. Wind and Rain picked up but that was all." - Fran Lopez

Thanks to Terri, Matt and Fran!

Still more than 10,000 without power in the area, according to ComEd's outage map.

Update 11:20 p.m.: A quick drive through Bolingbrook Tuesday night showed nothing too serious in terms of damage. A few tree branches were down and a couple Bolingbrook Public Works crews were out working on power lines and such. The ComEd power outage map still shows at least 10,000 people in the area are still without power. 

Update 10:23 p.m.: The National Weather Service reported wind gusts of up to 50 mph in Bolingbrook. According to Ginger Zee's Twitter feed, winds reached 71 mph. Zee is a meteorologist for NBC Chicago.

 said a fair amount of damage and a large chunk of a tree down near Briarcliff and Schmidt.

Update 10:14 p.m.: ComEd power outage map is showing at least 10,001 customers without power in the Bolingbrook region. Most of the outages appear to be on Bolingbrook's northeast side.

Update 9:13 p.m.: Plainfield police dispatcher says Plainfield came through the storm relatively unscathed. No reports of damage or downed lines. Other areas, alas, not so lucky. Reports indicate that the wind was much, much stronger in Bolingbrook and Romeoville.

Update 8:10 p.m.: The National Weather Service has just issued a severe thunderstorm and tornado warning for our area. Report says: "THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION...TORNADO-LIKE WIND DAMAGE CAN BE EXPECTED IN SPOTS WITH THIS DANGEROUS LINE OF STORMS."

Another week, another round of thunderstorms, says the National Weather Service in Romeoville, which says we have a 70 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms after 4 p.m. Tuesday and again after 1 a.m. Wednesday morning.

Some of those are expected to be "hazardous," meaning they could come with damaging winds, large hail, frequent lightning and heavy downpours, the most recent forecast says.

As we found out the hard way less than two weeks ago, frequents lightning can result in fires and heavy downpours can mean flooded streets.

But because thunderstorms with lightning are such common events in summer, people tend to get somewhat cavalier about the potential dangers. In recognition of Lightning Awareness Week, which coincidentally happens to be this week, Plainfield Fire Protection District fire inspector Mary Ludemann sent out these tips Tuesday:

• If you can hear thunder that means lightning is close enough to strike. You should seek shelter.
• Wait for 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder is heard before resuming outdoor activities. (Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles away from the rainfall portion of a thunderstorm).
• Adequate shelter would be inside a building or inside an enclosed vehicle with a metal roof (avoid touching anything metal or the radio while inside a vehicle). A picnic shelter or shed are not adequate shelter.
• When indoors, do not use electronics such as computers or corded phones and do not use plumbing by showering, doing dishes, touching faucets or similar activities because of the risk of shock from lightning traveling though these items and making contact with you.  Stay indoors, do not go out on the porch, and stay away from windows and doors.
• If caught outside in a remote area during a thunderstorm, stay away from trees, hills, bodies of water, wire fences, power lines and windmills and squat so that only the tips of your feet are touching the ground.
• If someone is struck by lightning, they will need immediate medical attention. Check if they have a pulse and if they are breathing. Call 911 and administer CPR, if needed. 

For more information, go to www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov.