Episode 620 - Chicago's Terrifying Tornadoes
Chicago History Podcast
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The 1990 Plainfield Tornado
On August 28, 1990, a super-cell thunderstorm formed around 12 pm local time near Janesville in south central Wisconsin. The storm continued to move southeast toward the Aurora area producing four short-lived tornadoes. This developing weather event hit the Aurora Municipal Airport where 20 propeller planes were flipped and hangers suffered serious damage. When the tornado reached Plainfield, Illinois, it had weakened slightly, but was still on the high end of an F4. It followed a 16-mile path, claiming the lives of 29 people, with 350 more injured. The twister caused $165 million in damage, nearly $400 million in today's value.
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