Reported Sunday storm damage minimal in DeKalb County following DuPage County tornado

DeKALB – As weather and emergency response officials continue to assess the damage of the tornado that ravaged through DuPage County, the National Weather Service confirmed no serious conditions or damage reports came out of DeKalb County from Sunday’s storm.

Jake Petr, meteorologist for National Weather Service in Romeoville, said Monday afternoon the weather service received a report at 10:22 p.m. Sunday about strong winds damaging trees northwest of Hinckley, with branches in the roadway along Somonauk Road. He said the highest amount of rain from the storm was reported in Genoa, with 2.69 inches, and northwest of Kingston, with 2.39 inches.

“That’s a decent about of rain there,” Petr said. “The area got a lot of rain, especially in that part of the county.”

Petr’s comments come after National Weather Service survey teams found damage “consistent with an EF-3 rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale” from the tornado that touched down Sunday night, weather service officials wrote in a Monday afternoon social media post.

“This is the first significant [EF-2 or above] tornado to impact the Chicago metropolitan area since 2015, when an EF-3 tornado hit Coal City,” weather service officials wrote.

Petr said there were warnings of urban flooding around DeKalb County, though no warnings of flash floods.

“Because of how dry it has been lately ... the ground is able to handle quite a bit of moisture,” Petr said.

DeKalb, Sycamore and Cortland fire officials confirmed there were no storm-related calls Sunday night, including no reports of fires from lightning strikes. Genoa-Kingston fire officials were not immediately available for comment on Monday.

Petr said the recent lower water levels for nearby rivers within DeKalb County helped against any flooding potential as well.

“I think the area was able to avoid most of the traumatic effects of the storm,” Petr said.