Photos: Fallen trees, wind damage near Chicago amid high winds from cold front

By Chaffin Mitchell, AccuWeather staff writer

October 21, 2018, 11:47:35 AM EDT

A very sharp cold front sent damaging winds and snow through areas near Chicago, Illinois.

"There were numerous reports of high winds and wind damage in and near Chicago Saturday afternoon between about 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. CDT," AccuWeather Meteorologist Frank Strait said.

Strait said 60-mph winds were reported at Midway Airport and in Romeoville. There was a gust to 61 mph in Rockford and at O’Hare International Airport. A 63-mph gust was reported in Michigan City, Indiana. The strongest wind reported was 65 mph in Somonauk, Illinois, Strait said.

There were many reports of downed trees or large tree branches. Some homes had siding damage.

"In a few instances, trees fell onto homes and caused serious damage. In other places, trees fell across roadways and this disrupted traffic flow," Strait said.

The damage occurred as snow squalls moved through the Chicagoland area, which briefly limited visibility below a quarter of a mile.

"There was no snow accumulation because the ground was very warm as highs have been in the 50s F in recent days and, this morning, temperatures reached near 50 ahead of the snow squalls," Strait said.

According to Strait, this was caused by a very sharp cold front that moved through the area.

A recap of the strong damaging winds and snow squalls on Sunday has been posted on our webpage at: https://t.co/iNzbvjWGPS.

This page will be updated on Sunday afternoon or evening with the meteorology of the event. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/d2d8bG5wro
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) October 21, 2018

Far southwest Plainfield 3:25pm@NWSChicago @JolietWeather pic.twitter.com/97ECFeBwfA
— Zee (@zlatko1550) October 20, 2018

High wind @WGNWeather #Chicago #clearing pic.twitter.com/7inMNzBLFd
— Soni G (@Soni_G08) October 20, 2018

@nilwxreports manteno Illinois. Tree laying on power lines pic.twitter.com/Xf5eUfxoXi
— Reese (@Reeselopez55) October 20, 2018

Some of the more impressive tree damage I've seen so far. Decent size tree snapped at the base in Somonauk IL from the strong winds not long ago. #ilwx @NWSChicago pic.twitter.com/2RkYiogzlM
— Bob - NILStormChaser (@nilwxreports) October 20, 2018

Snow in Chicago on October 20. Then the sun came out, then we got wind, then more snow. This is a first for me! ❄️ #snow #chicagosnow #seasons #crazyweather ☀️❄️💨 pic.twitter.com/aP1WBp93zY
— Sharon Kay (@SharonKayNovels) October 20, 2018

#chicago weather at its finest. Snow squalls with 60+ mph winds. Widespread tree damage reported. #ilwx pic.twitter.com/pSIkWjLhqN
— Adam Lucio (@Aerostorms) October 20, 2018

It's snowing in Chicago, kinda. Strong winds. pic.twitter.com/wZqzsrcDxc
— Bonnie Johnson (@BonnieSalm) October 20, 2018

45 mile an hour winds, my birdbath blew away and broke, it's snowing, and it's supposed to get down to 25 degrees tonight. It's not even Halloween yet! Wtf...#ChicagoWeathersucks #Chicago pic.twitter.com/l3JSInTnjW
— Brad Lee (@KING_IS1) October 20, 2018

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