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Weather

Straight-Line Storm Strikes Oak Park

Among the early damage reports: extremely heavy winds down power lines and some of Austin Gardens' largest trees are toppled

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Matt Baron, Neighbor
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https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/64913/20230404/043604/styles/patch_image/public/20230404-142520___04162523749.jpg
A view of some of the damage at Austin Gardens, about 20 minutes after the storm swept through the area. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured at the park or elsewhere in the community. (Inside Edge PR + Media)
https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/64913/20230404/043604/styles/patch_image/public/20230404-142625___04162554983.jpg
A view of some of the damage at Austin Gardens, about 20 minutes after the storm swept through the area. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured at the park or elsewhere in the community. (Inside Edge PR + Media)
https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/64913/20230404/043604/styles/patch_image/public/20230404-142732___04162631899.jpg
A view of some of the damage at Austin Gardens, about 20 minutes after the storm swept through the area. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured at the park or elsewhere in the community. (Inside Edge PR + Media)
https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/64913/20230404/044248/styles/patch_image/public/20230404-141220___04163944776.jpg
A view of the sidewalk along the south side of Lake Street in Downtown Oak Park, looking west, about 10 minutes after the storm sent large objects flying into the street. (Inside Edge PR + Media)

Locally, Election Day took a stormy turn about 2 p.m. today when hail descended from an eerily darkening sky, followed by extremely high winds that toppled some of the largest trees at Austin Gardens in Downtown Oak Park.

Those mighty gusts also sent municipal garbage cans, tables and other heavy objects careening onto Lake Street, slowing traffic temporarily.

About 2:50 p.m., the Village of Oak Park issued this statement on its Facebook page:

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"Oak Park was hit by a fast-moving straight-line storm that produced high winds leading to significant tree damage & downed power lines throughout our community. Please be alert.

Public Works staff and the Police and Fire Departments are on high alert and actively assessing the damage while implementing clean-up strategies as quickly as possible.

Find out what's happening in Oak Park-River Forestfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

To report an emergency, such as downed power lines, please call 911. To report storm damage that is not considered life-threatening, please call Public Works at 708-358-5700."

On Tuesday afternoon, the Park District of Oak Park issued a statement on its website that Austin Gardens will be closed until Friday, April 7th "due to significant storm damage. Clean-up will begin when the weather allows."

Below is video of the aftermath at Austin Gardens:


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