The Late-August 1990 Tornado Disaster

A review of the deadly Planfield Tornado by the National Weather Service

Between 3:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. CDT on August 28th, 1990, a violent F5 tornado ripped through Kendall and Will counties taking the lives of 29 people and injuring 350. The tornado left a 16.4 mile-long damage path which ranged from 600 yards to a half a mile in width. An estimated total of $160 million dollars in damages was added up with a total of 470 homes destroyed and 1000 damaged.

Not only was this F5 tornado disastrous, it was also very unusual for several reasons:

• The Plainfield tornado was the first ever tornado greater than an F3 rating, since records began in 1950, to occur during the month of August in the state of Illinois.
• It was the second killer tornado since 1950 to occur during the month of August in Illinois.
• This tornado remains the only F5/EF5 rated tornado documented in the United States during the month of August.
• The tornado had low clouds and rain surrounding it, making it difficult to see. Because of this, no known photographs or videos of this tornado exist.
• The tornado approached from the northwest; most tornadoes approach from the southwest.

NWS NOTE: Before the Enhanced Fujita Scale was put in use in 2007, the tornado damage was assessed by using the Fujita Scale. On the Fujita Scale, an F5 tornado has estimated wind speeds of 261-318 mph and is defined as having incredible damage in which strong frame houses can be leveled and swept off of foundations, automobile-sized objects can be lifted up into the air, and trees are usually debarked.

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