35 Years Since Deadly F5 Tornado Struck Illinois Towns

Plainfield, Illinois – On August 28, 1990, a devastating F5 tornado tore through parts of northern Illinois, leaving behind a trail of destruction in the towns of Plainfield and Crystal Lawns. This catastrophic event resulted in the deaths of 29 people and injuries to 350 others.

The tornado carved a 16-mile path and reached a width of up to half a mile, causing an estimated $160 million in damages. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), 470 homes were completely destroyed, and 1,000 others sustained damage.

What makes this tornado particularly significant is that it is one of only two recorded F5 or EF5 tornadoes to occur in August in the United States. In addition to its intensity, the tornado had some unique characteristics.

During the event, it was largely obscured by low clouds and rain, making it impossible to capture any video or photos of the tornado itself. The lightning activity associated with the tornado was also unusual. Research published three years later indicated a high ratio of positively charged lightning strikes and a decrease in cloud-to-ground lightning at the time the tornado formed. There was also a notable clustering of lightning strikes near the tornado at its peak intensity.

Jonathan Erdman, a senior meteorologist at weather.com, has reported on extreme weather for decades and considers such incidents compelling topics in meteorology.