Bad storms continue to come through Chicago as I write this. Today at 3 pm a major storm blew in with winds up to 85 miles per hour. That's a catagory 2 in hurricaine terms! It's going to be a rough night here. Keep in mind these photos were taken at 3 in the afternoon.

A few more pictures:

Oh wow Cathy, you are in my prayers. Be careful.

We are in the midst of another storm right now - looks like these will be going on all night. I have never seen anything like it here. Very scary!
I'm going to hide now!

OMG Cathy..

That was what was happening while we were on skype? You said it was bad but I had no idea...

I lost internet connection for a while earlier so I had to go offline. I'll try and call you in a bit.

As Mike said, be careful, ok?

Cathy,

Hope you're hunkered down and staying safe. Let us know how you are after this storm blows through.

Is it me or has the weather gone nuts the last couple of years??

Biff

We're OK. I have my daughter with me so I play it on the safe side. Have all the important stuff packed by the front door so if we need to run to the basement of my condo I'll at least have credit cards, cash and our birth certificates, and of course, I'm not leaving without my laptop. All my years here, this was the worst. They showed hail 7 inches in diameter on the TV. Roofs peeled off, tons of big trees down and really bad flooding. Severe weather expected until midnight but I think the worst is over. I have never been scared by the weather before but this one had me spooked. I have never seen the sky that color of green before. The Chicago press is very wimpy - they are still calling it "possible" tornados.
I thought huge swirling clouds that rip roofs off are tornados?
Yes Nuccia - that was going on while we were on Skype. I bet you thought I was being a drama queen!

You are certainly in our prayers ...

Cathy..

I would never think you were being a drama queen..I just didn't want to freak you out since I knew the minute you yelled for your daughter to grab her things since you might be heading to the basement it was bad.

Have had trouble with skype all night..we will talk tomorrow. I am going to attempt to go to work in the morning.

It seems you're living in a nightmare Cathy, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Could I give you a wee bit of advice, I read you were on skype when the 'storm' was raging, please please do not use your computer or your telephone if there is thunder and lightning. Bob,my L. husband, was in the back shop and was on the 'phone once when we had a bad storm, (nothing like you have been having) and he was struck by the lightning -through the TELEPHONE- the lightning had hit the wires outside and travelled along the 'phone wires through the shop right to the phone he was using. The doctor at the hospital told him he only survived that because it was a wooden chair he had his hand on and told him if he had been touching the 'night store' heater which was only inches away he would probably have been killed. I was there when it happened, the noise was terrible and the flash that came from the 'phone lit up the back shop.
Before this happened I would never have believe this possible. So Cathy Please be very careful.
Hope everything clears up soon
Love and hugs
Emmy

Cathy, I can only offer my heartfelt wishes that you and yours are safe and remain so during this traumatic time. Your photos are so hauntingly frightening....but then that is how nature is I guess.

The world - as Biff said - and as we all fear - HAS gone mad.... The dinosaurs survived for millions of years and thoughts of thier demise is now turning to it being caused by the weather conditions over maybe a million or so years... Yet here WE are, on the verge - if we're not very careful - of disappearing too. Our demise could also be caused ultimately by the weather too - but not over millions of years, but over little more than a century.

Perhaps if anyone survives our 'possible' fate they would be kind enough to write this on 'Man's headstone':

Here lies 'Man'
Who thought he knew best - but he didn't.
He didn't (or chose not to) see what was coming.
In the end he lived as a blind man,
In the end he chose to be deaf too.
In the end his own greed caused his demise.

Just be safe Cathy - and anyone else who is, or may be, in peril...ANYWHERE!

I am safe. We expect more severe storms tomorrow but I doubt they will match what was seen today. What was so shocking is funnel clouds over downtown Chicago. I have never heard of that happening before.
Don't worry Emmy - my Dad was an electronic engineer and drilled into my head what not to do in severe thunderstorms. It sounds like your experience with your husband was very scary!! 2 of our major rivers are already at flood stage and many people's houses are submerged. I am not close enough to the rivers to worry about myself but I feel for all those near the rivers.
I fear you are right Carole. The earth is rebelling against our abuses. All the floods, severe hurricaines, wildfires, tsunamis, extreme temperatures - it's all very scary. Tornados in Illinois are nothing new, but so close to the city, that is. I fear the weather patterns will only get worse. I saw on TV the 7 inch diameter hail being held in someone's hand - if verified it will be a record breaking size.
I pray no major hurricaines hit our coasts this year.
Thanks all for your well wishes. I did not mean to worry anyone. I was just so impressed by this storm I had to share the pictures.

OMG Cathy!
My thoughts are with you.

Mamma mia Cathy, You are in our prayers always, please go and stay in a safe place, I hope all of this horrible weather and situation will be over soon, with no problems for you and your daughter.
Please let us know when everything is over
Keep yourself in a safe place
kisses and hugs Riccardo

It's OK now. Just normal rain and thunderstorms now. They called it a "super cell" of storms and a "microburst". Just my luck, I wait a year for a full week off and it rained all week. The sun will finally come out Sunday! I really appreciate all your hugs and kisses! I love hugs and kisses!