Edmund Fitzgerald like storm in Illinois

[charlene]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-26/midwest-storm-knocks-out-power-in-illinois-slows-o-hare-airport-flights.html

The storm was forecast to be the second-most severe on record for the Midwest, surpassing the Nov. 10, 1975, storm that sank the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald, an event immortalized by singer Gordon Lightfoot, according to the weather service.

The Edmund Fitzgerald storm had a central pressure of 28.95 inches. The strongest storm recorded in the lakes was the “Great Ohio Blizzard” of January 1978, which had a central pressure of 28.05 inches.

[Rob1956]

So far, overhyped. In the Chicago 'burbs some storms Tue morning around 7am, moderate rainfall...mostly moved out by 9:30am. Wind is coming but, boy, they really hyped up how ferocious the leading edge of the storm front was going to be. From listening to online scanners, sounds like St. Louis had more wind damage.

[charlene]

good to hear it's not come to fruition...
stay safe and dry...

[seafarer62]

October 25 is very raw, gusty and gloomy in the Twin Cities today. Minnesota has set some weather records today with the lowest barometric reading ever- even lower than those in the November 1975 and 1998 storms.

Makes you wonder what decisions Captain McSorley would have made back in 1975 if he had had the weather technology of 2010. Probably useless speculation. If there is a legacy of the Fitzgerald and Gordon's song, I think that a healthy respect for Mother Nature is everpresent in those of us living in the Great Lakes states.

Here is a link from the Minneapolis Star Tribune referencing Gordon:

http://www.startribune.com/local/105761223.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUi D3aPc:_Yyc:aU1yDEmP:QMDCinchO7DU

[seafarer62]

Whoops- I should have said: October 26

[bjm7777]

You folks in the American Midwest took quite a whack today. I won't complain anymore of the cool breeze we had in the East Kootenays, today. Take care out there...

[Bill]

A big low pressure area moved across the US and into the great lakes the past day or so, swirling storms through the Carolinas and Virginia too. Last night in Roanoke , Va the weathercaster mentioned the low pressure area is like the one that lead to the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.