Tornado outbreak of February 7, 2017

[3] 33 injuries occurred in the area after the tornado hit near Chef Menteur Highway with hundreds of structures sustaining moderate to significant damage along the ten-mile path.

On February 4, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) outlined a severe weather threat area across portions of the Ohio Valley southward into the northern Gulf Coast states.

[9] Ahead of the trough, strong low- to mid-level winds transported abundant moisture northward from the Gulf of Mexico, with dewpoints reaching to lower to mid 60s °F.

[10] The combination of southwesterly flow and abnormally cold mid-level temperatures—approximately −14 to −17 °C (7 to 1 °F)—helped to destabilize the atmosphere, with maximum Convective Available Potential Energy values in the range of 1500–2000 j/kg.

EF1 damage occurred near Wilson Avenue as a two-story motel had much of its poorly attached roof uplifted and sustained buckling of exterior walls on the second floor.

[32] Along Grant Street, Schaumburg Elementary School sustained minor roof damage and broken windows as it was impacted by the outer edge of the circulation.

This damage was confined to an area along and just north of Grant Street between Read Boulevard and Chalmark Drive, where dozens of homes lost much to all of their roof structures and sustained collapse of multiple exterior walls.

[31] The tornado essentially followed the Chef Menteur Highway as it continued eastward, significantly damaging homes and other structures at EF2 strength along this segment of the path.

A final segment of low-end EF3 damage occurred further east as several large metal power pylons along the highway were bent in half.

High-end EF2 damage occurred in neighborhoods just north of the highway, as numerous homes sustained significant roof and exterior wall loss.

The large, two-story office building that houses the National Finance Center suffered significant roof damage and collapse of both the brick facade and cinder block exterior walls in a few places.