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87-504: McHenry County is the name of two counties in the United States: McHenry County, Illinois McHenry County, North Dakota [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to

174-519: A Collins Radio aviation radar mounted on the roof of the station building and was used to support severe weather reports on local and regional newscasts. After detecting the severe thunderstorm, the reporter called Weather Bureau offices in Waterloo (which had no radar) and Des Moines to alert them about the storm. The phone call became the first hard evidence for the Weather Bureau regarding

261-719: A central point yet only producing one damage swath. The tornado struck the trailer park at 6:32 p.m. CDT (23:32 UTC). (Roughly 45 minutes later, another F4 tornado passed just to the north of the Midway Trailer Court, splitting into yet another pair of funnels as it struck the Sunnyside neighborhood in Dunlap .) The tornado obliterated roughly 80% of the trailer park, with 10 deaths, and caused F4 damage to numerous other homes near Middlebury, some of which were swept clean. Three more people died in

348-583: A church, and 100 cottages destroyed. This was the second and deadliest of two violent tornadoes to strike the Elkhart–Goshen area, with the highest single-tornado death toll in the outbreak. It hit Dunlap about an hour after another F4 tornado hit the Midway trailer park a short distance to the southeast. Few people received warning due to the passage of the earlier storm, which disrupted communications and downed power lines, thereby affecting rescue efforts after

435-484: A city in 1967; opened a new Middle School in 1969, which replaced the old Junior High School; and eventually demolished the 1900 building that housed the former junior and senior high schools. The first of the F4 tornadoes produced a 151-mile-per-hour (243 km/h) wind gust at Tecumseh —the highest wind measurement in a tornado until a measurement of 276 mph (444 km/h) near Red Rock, Oklahoma , on April 26, 1991 ;

522-418: A combined gas station/grocery store, a pair of churches, and the town hall. The tornado also toppled a statue at a Civil War monument, but the concrete base of the statue remained standing. After ravaging Pittsfield, the tornado damaged 200 homes in and near Grafton , some of which indicated F2-level intensity. A total of 17 homes were severely damaged in nearby LaGrange and Columbia Station . As

609-575: A direct hit, 94% of the town's buildings were damaged or destroyed. Across Lenawee County the tornado destroyed 189 homes. About 30 minutes later, the Manitou Beach–Devils Lake area in Lenawee County was hit by the second of the two tornadoes, causing numerous fatalities, including a family of six in eastern Lenawee County who had survived the first tornado. Many homes were hit twice. One or both F4 tornadoes struck

696-475: A higher measurement of 318 mph (512 km/h)—later corrected to 307 mph (494 km/h)—in the F5 tornado of May 3, 1999 , broke this record. Damage from the two tornadoes was difficult to separate and covered more than 2 to 4 miles (3.2 to 6.4 km) across, including much downburst and microburst destruction. Total damage estimates from the two tornadoes were $ 32 million with more than 550 homes,

783-424: A late winter in 1965, much of March being cold and snowy; and as the day progressed, warm temperatures encouraged picnickers and sightseers. For many areas, April 11 marked the first day of above-average temperatures, so members of the public, being outdoors or attending services, failed to receive updates from radio and television. The high death toll in the outbreak despite accurate warnings led to changes in

870-596: A new tornado near the Fox River . The tornado also struck the community of Burtons Bridge . The tornado, now 500 to 800 yards (460 to 730 m) wide, then restrengthened and felled mature oak trees as it crested a precipitous hill before striking Bay View Beach. There the tornado badly damaged a number of homes and downed willow trees. Finally, the tornado intersected Illinois Route 176 and produced its final swath of significant damage in Island Lake. In Island Lake

957-409: A report of a tornado approaching his position on U.S. Route 33 , about 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Midway. As Huffman and his wife Betty awaited the storm, he noticed the tornado approaching from the southwest, so he began taking a series of photographs, six in all. The photographs captured the evolution of the storm into twin funnels as it struck the trailer park, with each funnel gyrating around

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1044-614: A sizable portion of the county's economy. The major employment centers can be found in Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Huntley, McHenry, and Woodstock. The southern portions of the county are within the scope of the Golden Corridor , the region of commerce along the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway . The county is known for its wide variety of shopping options. McHenry, Crystal Lake, and Algonquin/Lake in

1131-681: A strong influence in the county, and have hospitals in nearby Elgin and Barrington. On September 1, 2018, Centegra was acquired by Northwestern Medicine of Chicagonois. Prior to its acquisition by Northwestern Medicine, Centegra was the largest independent employer in McHenry County. It is now part of a netwwith of more than 10 hospitals and 400 care locations. Much of McHenry County's economy centers around manufacturing, metalworking, media development and printing, transportation equipment, agriculture, health care, education, retail, food production, distribution, and technology. Gravel mining makes up

1218-614: Is a list of high schools that can be found in the county: Students in McHenry County may also be zoned into schools in other counties, such as Dundee-Crown High School in neighboring Carpentersville . Hospitals currently in the county include Mercy Harvard Hospital, Centegra Northern Illinois Medical Center in McHenry, Centegra Memorial Medical Center in Woodstock, and Centegra's Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital. Amita (formerly Presence) and Advocate health systems also maintain

1305-585: Is a local digital newspaper which covers McHenry County and nearby Lake County, Illinois . The county is also served by the larger Chicago newspapers Chicago Tribune , Chicago Sun-Times , and the suburban-focused newspaper The Daily Herald . McHenry County Living , a bimonthly lifestyle magazine serving the county, reaches tens of thousands of area residents and businesses. 42°19′N 88°27′W  /  42.32°N 88.45°W  / 42.32; -88.45 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak A vigorous extratropical cyclone centered over

1392-533: Is like much of the Upper Midwest , as it usually sees hot, humid summers, and cold, snowy winters. The county is notably susceptible to high wind events, blizzards, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flooding. Some of the most notable weather events in the county include the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak , the Blizzard of 1967 , the 1967 Belvidere - Oak Lawn tornado outbreak , the Blizzard of 1979 ,

1479-492: Is located approximately 42 miles (68 km) west of the central part of the county (Woodstock). McHenry County is entirely within the scope of the Chicago media market and the majority of the county relies primarily on Chicago television stations, radio stations, and newspapers for the source of its news and information. Certain sections of the county, particularly the rural far northern and far western parts, are also within

1566-603: The 1 ⁄ 4 -mile-wide (0.40 km) tornado struck Pittsfield, Ohio , then located at the junction of Ohio State Route 303 and Ohio State Road 58 . Of the settlement's 50 residents, the tornado killed seven. The tornado also killed two motorists whose arrival in town coincided with the tornado's. According to the U.S. Weather Bureau Office (WBO) in Cleveland, Ohio , the tornado produced "total" devastation as it struck Pittsfield. The tornado destroyed 12 homes, six of which "literally vanished," along with

1653-425: The 2020 Census , only Chemung and Pistakee Highlands were CDPs. McHenry County government is based primarily out of Woodstock, the county seat. The McHenry County Government Center, located on the north end of Woodstock along Illinois Route 47 , features county offices as well as judicial facilities. The current Sheriff of McHenry County, Illinois is Robb Tadelmann, who was first elected in 2022. As one of

1740-936: The Terwilliger House , the Count's House , and the Dole Mansion . Throughout the year are a variety of festivals throughout the county, the centerpiece of which is the McHenry County Fair, occurring during a week in August in Woodstock. Many towns also have their own festivals throughout the year. Some of the most notable ones are the Ground Hog Days and the Great Lake Steelpan Festival in Woodstock, Fall Fest in Huntley,

1827-576: The U.S. state of Illinois . According to the 2020 Census , it had a population of 310,229, making it the sixth-most populous county in Illinois. Its county seat is Woodstock . McHenry County is one of the five Illinois collar counties in the Chicago - Naperville - Elgin , IL- IN - WI Metropolitan Statistical Area . Long known as a center of recreation along with agriculture in the western portion, it has recently experienced rapid rates of suburbanization , exurbanization and urbanization , but

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1914-666: The Yankee -settled and prosperous outer suburban "collar counties", McHenry County was a stronghold of the Free Soil Party in its first few elections, being one of nine Illinois counties to give a plurality to Martin van Buren in 1848. McHenry County has voted for the Republican candidate for president in all but two elections since 1852 ( the Republican party was founded in 1854 ), the first being when “Bull Moose” candidate and former Republican president Theodore Roosevelt won

2001-549: The then-Village of Milan , south of Ann Arbor . The Wolverine Plastics building on the Monroe County side of town, then the top employer in the village, was destroyed with the roof being completely removed in the process. The Milan Junior High School was seriously damaged along with the adjacent, senior high school, disused since 1958, at Hurd and North streets, on the Washtenaw County side of Milan. Milan became

2088-428: The 50 people then in attendance for Palm Sunday services, 26 failed to reach shelter in time and were stranded beneath debris for up to two hours. Eight fatalities occurred in the church. The local dance pavilion on Devils Lake was demolished, having recently been rebuilt after a fire on Labor Day in 1963. One of the tornadoes damaged parts of Onsted ; in the nearby village of Tipton , which suffered

2175-631: The Colby subdivision up to a one-half mile (0.80 km) away. After ravaging the Colby neighborhood, the tornado destroyed a number of warehouses and shattered windows. A diesel plant, a wallpaper factory, and a manufacturer sustained damage ranging from light to heavy. The tornado then extensively damaged the Orchard Acres subdivision, crossed Illinois Route 31 , and apparently weakened before impacting farmland. A few barns and isolated trees were damaged. The tornado may have dissipated and reformed as

2262-487: The Colby subdivision, destroying or severely damaging 155 homes. F4-level damage occurred as several homes were completely swept off their foundations. Four deaths occurred in the neighborhood, including three in one family (the Holter family) whose home was obliterated. Their bodies were located two blocks distant and a pickup truck was found to have landed in the basement. The tornado scattered debris from

2349-656: The Flood of 1996, the Blizzard of 1999 , the Early Winter 2006 North American Storm Complex , the 2007 Midwest flooding event, the January 2008 tornado outbreak sequence , and the Blizzard of 2011 . McHenry county has the highest percentage of non-Hispanic whites amongst the five collar counties of Chicago (McHenry, Lake , DuPage , Kane , and Will ). As of the 2010 census , there were 308,760 people, 109,199 households, and 82,288 families residing in

2436-616: The Fox River Valley. In 2012, the Hackmatack National Wildlife Refuge was established and encompasses parts of McHenry County. McHenry County has an active art and theater scene. The historic Woodstock Opera House and Crystal Lake's Raue Center for the Arts both provide exceptional programs. In addition, Algonquin is noted for its Public Art Program, which showcases artwork year-round throughout

2523-615: The Greentown area. In all, the tornado killed 18 people and injured another 600 in Howard County alone. Just south of Swayzee , the tornado leveled some more homes and caused three additional deaths. As it struck the southern outskirts of Marion , the tornado leveled a pair of homes, partly unroofed a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital, and wrecked the Panorama shopping center. 20 injuries occurred at

2610-517: The Hills Airport offers general aviation service, as do Dacy Airport and Galt Airport, in the northern part of the county. Chicago-O'Hare International Airport is approximately 30 to 40 miles (48 to 64 km) from the county, while Milwaukee's Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport is approximately 50 to 60 miles (80 to 97 km) away. Chicago Rockford International Airport , a busy cargo airport with limited, scheduled passenger service

2697-644: The Hills have established themselves as major retail areas, all featuring an array of big box stores, specialty stores, and restaurants. While there are no major malls located within the county, several lie just outside its borders: the lifestyle centers Algonquin Commons and Algonquin Galleria , and the regional indoor mall Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee . In addition, several historic downtowns throughout

McHenry County - Misplaced Pages Continue

2784-629: The Indiana-Michigan state line, near Orland , the first, deadliest, and strongest of two massive tornadoes, each rated F4, debarked trees and leveled homes on the shoreline of Lake Pleasant in Steuben County. Crossing into Branch County, Michigan, the tornado damaged more homes in East Gilead . The tornado was up to 1 mile (1.6 km) wide as it obliterated homes on Coldwater Lake ; 18 deaths occurred there. Debris from

2871-691: The Middlebury area before the tornado ended. Unofficial estimates of the death toll vary, with Grazulis listing 14 deaths instead of the 31 appearing in the official National Climatic Data Center / National Centers for Environmental Information (NCDC/NCEI) database. An airplane wing from Goshen Airport was found 35 miles (56 km) away in Centreville, Michigan . With the telephone lines down, emergency services in Elkhart County, Indiana , could not warn Michigan residents that

2958-766: The Midwest, at least 266 people—some sources say 256–271—were killed and 1,500 injured (1,200 in Indiana ). This is the fourth-deadliest day for tornadoes on record, behind April 3, 1974 (310 deaths), April 27, 2011 (324), and March 18, 1925 (747, including 695 by the Tri-State Tornado ). It occurred on Palm Sunday , an important day in the Christian religion, and many people were attending services at church, one possible reason why some warnings were not received. There had been

3045-1099: The Summer Sunset Festival in Lake in the Hills, the Lakeside Festival in Crystal Lake, Milk Days in Harvard, Settler's Days in Marengo, Cary Days in Cary, Founders Days in Algonquin, and Fiesta Days in McHenry. Several Federal and state highways run through McHenry County, including U.S. Highway 20 , U.S. Highway 14 , U.S. Highway 12 , Illinois Route 22 , Illinois Route 23 , Illinois Route 173 , Illinois Route 120 , Illinois Route 176 , Illinois Route 47 , Illinois Route 31 , and Illinois Route 62 . Highly traveled county highways include Randall Road , Algonquin Road, Rakow Road, and Walkup Road. McHenry County

3132-626: The Tri-State Tornado, the longest-tracked and deadliest in U.S. history, on March 18, 1925 . At 11:45 a.m. CDT (16:45 UTC) on April 11, the Severe Local Storms Unit (SELS) in Kansas City, Missouri , issued an outlook that mentioned the possibility of tornadoes from northeastern Missouri to the northernmost two-thirds of Indiana. At 2:00 p.m. CDT (19:00 UTC)—fifteen minutes after

3219-682: The United States Congress or Illinois governorship. The mother of U.S. President Gerald Ford, Dorothy Ayer Gardner , was born in Harvard in 1892. McHenry County College , a growing community college established in 1967, serves the majority of county residents. The college includes 2,000 full-time students and 5,800 part-time students. The main campus is located on the northwest side of Crystal Lake, along U.S. Route 14 . Secondary facilities exist in Crystal Lake and McHenry. McHenry County also includes dozens of school districts. This

3306-636: The VA hospital, and looters scavenged the shopping center. Several homes were destroyed and hundreds others damaged in Marion as well. The tornado killed five people as it traversed Grant County. Losses totaled $ 500.025 million, $ 12 million alone of which occurred near Marion. Shortly after 11:00 p.m. CDT (04:00 UTC), a tornado touched down in Lorain County, Ohio , and headed east-northeastward. Around 11:12 p.m. CDT (04:12 UTC),

3393-462: The atmosphere facilitated the explosive development of long-lived mesocyclones and thus long-tracked tornado families . The very strong shear and rapid forward speed of the storms—up to 70  mph (110  km/h ) in some cases—may have enhanced the formation of cyclic supercells and could account for numerous reports of multiple mesocyclones and twin tornadoes, including the famous "twin tornadoes" near Elkhart , Indiana; similar conditions yielded

3480-769: The cold front moved into eastern sections of Arkansas and Missouri . Weather stations from Topeka , Kansas, to Peoria , Illinois, showed very strong vertical shear that favored intense low-level convergence —combined with a moist dew point in the warm sector, an environment favorable for supercell thunderstorms. A weather balloon launched from Dodge City, Kansas , recorded winds of 185 mph (298 km/h) aloft; another at Peoria, Illinois , subsequently measured 135 kn (155 mph; 250 km/h). Minimum dew points of 60 °F (16 °C) reached as far north as southern Michigan by mid afternoon. Volatile atmospheric conditions led to thunderstorm activity over eastern Iowa by 1:40–48 p.m. CDT (18:40–48 UTC),

3567-755: The community. The county is also ideal for photography and filming. Much of the filming for the 1993 movie Groundhog Day took place in Woodstock. There are also several important points of interest in the county including the Illinois Railway Museum and McHenry County Historical Museum in Union, the Old McHenry County Courthouse in Woodstock, and a variety of historical homes including the Orson Rogers House , George Stickney House , Charles H. Hibbard House ,

McHenry County - Misplaced Pages Continue

3654-433: The county in 1912 . Recent elections in 2004 and 2000 saw George W. Bush capture 59.72% and 58.5% of the county vote, respectively. In 2008 , Democrat Barack Obama , then a Senator from Illinois, captured McHenry County with 52% of the vote—the first time a Democrat had carried the county since 1852. In the 2012 presidential election , Obama only received 44% of the vote whereas Republican Mitt Romney captured 53% of

3741-839: The county and provides recreational opportunities for residents. The District also operates the McHenry County Prairie Path , a regional bike path that extends from the Wisconsin State Line in Richmond southward to Algonquin , where the path connects with the Fox River Bike Trail , which continues south to Aurora . In addition, the Fox River , Kishwaukee River and Chain O'Lakes provide immense opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, and other water activities. Moraine Hills State Park and Chain O' Lakes State Park are both located in

3828-632: The county offer unique shops and eateries in charming environments. The Woodstock Square Historic District , antique shops in Richmond and Hebron, downtown Crystal Lake and downtown Algonquin , and shops in other historic downtowns throughout the county accommodate residents and tourists alike. McHenry's Green Street is also a major attraction in the county. The entire county is served by the McHenry County Conservation District , which preserves sensitive land throughout

3915-637: The county seat of Woodstock have ranged from a low of 11 °F (−12 °C) in January to a high of 85 °F (29 °C) in July, although a record low of −29 °F (−34 °C) was recorded in January 1979 and a record high of 109 °F (43 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 1.29 inches (33 mm) in February to 4.56 inches (116 mm) in June. McHenry County

4002-557: The county, adjacent to the waterway. Other major lakes in the county include Crystal Lake, Wonder Lake, and McCullom Lake. There are also dozens of parks, golf courses, and country clubs throughout the county. Major skiing areas include Nordic Ski Jump in Fox River Grove and Buffalo Snowboarding Park in Algonquin. In addition, the Windy City Balloon Port in Fox River Grove offers hot air balloon rides over

4089-402: The county. The population density was 511.9 inhabitants per square mile (197.6/km ). There were 116,040 housing units at an average density of 192.4 per square mile (74.3/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 90.1% white, 2.5% Asian, 1.1% black or African American, 0.3% American Indian, 4.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 11.4% of

4176-548: The dissemination of severe weather alerts by the Severe Local Storm Warning Center in Kansas City, Missouri , now the Norman, Oklahoma -based Storm Prediction Center . The U.S. Weather Bureau investigated the large number of deaths. Although weather-radar stations were few and far between in 1965, the severe nature of the thunderstorms was identified with adequate time to disseminate warnings. But

4263-539: The earlier tornado as well. The Dunlap tornado first produced tree damage beginning just west of State Road 331 . Prior to crossing the St. Joseph–Elkhart county line, the tornado claimed its first two fatalities. As the tornado neared Dunlap, it intensified into an extremely violent tornado. It then devastated the Sunnyside Housing addition and the unoccupied Sunnyside Mennonite Church. The Sunnyside subdivision

4350-452: The east of McHenry County in Lake County, Illinois. McHenry County is served by Metra Rail, which provides daily commuter service to and from downtown Chicago. There are seven stations in the county, all of them located along the Union Pacific Northwest Line . The county is also served by Pace , which provides four fixed bus routes (550, 806, 807, and 808), and MCRide Dial-A-Ride transit service operated by Pace and First Transit. Lake in

4437-410: The elevated mixed layer. High temperatures ranged from 83 to 85  °F (28 to 29  °C ) from Chicago to St. Louis . Simultaneously, a strong low-level jet stream brought a moistening air mass northward: dew points of at least 60  °F (16  °C ) reached southernmost Illinois and Indiana by 10:00 a.m. CDT (15:00 UTC). Meanwhile, a pronounced dry line -like boundary near

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4524-468: The empty foundations was strewn over the surface of the lake and deposited in a small cove. The tornado destroyed 200 homes and caused one additional death as it traversed Branch County. After striking Coldwater Lake, the tornado widened even further, up to 2 miles (3.2 km) across, destroying a century-old farmhouse and killing a family of six near Reading . The tornado then narrowed back to 1 mile (1.6 km) as it struck Baw Beese Lake , near

4611-463: The first supercell of which produced the initial tornado of the day. By 6:00 p.m. CDT (23:00 UTC), instability reached record proportions for the time of year over a wide area, with convective available potential energy (CAPE) of at least 1,000 j/kg in the mixed layer over much of Indiana and southernmost Michigan. Record-breaking ambient vertical wind shear in the lowest 6  km (3.7  mi ; 20,000  ft ; 6,000  m ) of

4698-455: The first of two F4 tornadoes to hit the Dunlap (Elkhart)–Goshen area. It formed near the St. Joseph – Elkhart County border and tracked northeastward, striking Wakarusa, where it caused severe damage and killed a child. The tornado then intensified significantly as it moved toward northern Goshen and the Midway Trailer Court. As it neared the trailer park, Elkhart Truth reporter Paul Huffman, then reporting on severe weather, overheard

4785-409: The first tornado was spotted—the first tornado watch of the day was issued, covering portions of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. A total of four watches were issued on April 11–12. Radio news reporter Martin Jensen, then stationed at the WMT Station in Cedar Rapids , reported the first tornado of the day forming at 1:45 p.m. CDT (18:45 UTC). The station was equipped with

4872-430: The growing threat of severe storms that spawned dozens of tornadoes over the next 12 hours. For the first time in the U.S. Weather Bureau 's history, an entire Weather Bureau Office 's jurisdiction, in Northern Indiana , was under a tornado warning ; this was termed a "blanket tornado warning" and was later used by several National Weather Service (NWS) offices on April 3, 1974 . This devastating tornado

4959-417: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=McHenry_County&oldid=932989048 " Category : United States county name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages McHenry County, Illinois McHenry County is a county located in

5046-458: The larger city of Kokomo . Collectively, the tornado destroyed 100 homes in Alto and Kokomo. The Maple Crest apartment complex was unroofed and incurred the collapse of its uppermost walls. As the tornado continued eastward, it apparently intensified and killed ten people in Greentown , most of whom had been in automobiles. The tornado destroyed 80 homes, many of which it obliterated and swept away, as it struck multiple subdivisions in

5133-403: The new, rapidly strengthening tornado hit Russiaville , causing severe damage to the entire community. The 3 ⁄ 4 -mile-wide (1.2 km) tornado destroyed or damaged 90% of the community, though most of the damage ranged from F0–F3. The tornado then widened to 1 mile (1.6 km) across as it moved into nearby Alto , causing F4-level damage to homes, before striking the southern edge of

5220-431: The northeastern High Plains , in the region of the Dakotas , was the primary catalyst for widespread severe weather on April 11, 1965. As early as the preceding day, a strong jet stream in the upper two-thirds of the troposphere traversed the southern Great Plains and was responsible for an outbreak of tornadoes from the Kansas – Missouri border to Central Arkansas , including a violent F4 tornado that struck

5307-526: The official "watch" and "warning" procedures in use since 1966. Additionally, communities began activating civil defense sirens during tornado warnings, and storm spotting via amateur radio networks and other media received increased logistical support and emphasis, leading to the eventual creation of SKYWARN . Five books on the 1965 Palm Sunday tornado outbreak have been penned to date. David Wagler of Indiana released "The Mighty Whirlwind" in 1966, interviewing survivors and eyewitnesses within months after

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5394-399: The outbreak killed 266 people and became the deadliest to hit the United States since 1936 , although more recently the 1974 and 2011 Super Outbreaks claimed that distinction. The 17 violent tornadoes on April 11, 1965, set a 24-hour record that stood until the first Super Outbreak produced 30 in 1974. With 137 people killed and 1,200 injured in Indiana alone,

5481-583: The outbreak set a 24-hour record for tornado deaths in that state ; it also generated nine tornadoes of F4 or greater intensity in the same state, which set a single-state record for an outbreak until April 3, 1974 . An unusually pronounced elevated mixed layer (EML) was present over the Great Lakes region during the outbreak—a similar pattern having been observed on March 28, 1920 , April 3, 1956 , and April 3, 1974. A strong jet stream, combined with tornadoes, lofted topsoil from Illinois and Missouri eastward, producing hazy skies prior to

5568-485: The population. In terms of ancestry, 34.4% were of German heritage, 18.7% were of Irish ancestry, 14.2% Polish , 10.8% Italian , 7.8% English , and 3.7% of American heritage. Of the 109,199 households, 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.3% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 24.6% were non-families, and 19.8% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size

5655-483: The scope of the Milwaukee and Rockford media markets, respectively. The county has an FM radio station, WZSR (Star 105.5 FM), which plays mostly adult contemporary and pop music . WZSR is based out of Crystal Lake. The Northwest Herald , with a circulation of approximately 21,000, is the county's primary newspaper, serving the greater McHenry County area, and printed and published in Crystal Lake. Lake and McHenry County Scanner , launched in 2012 by Sam Borcia,

5742-443: The southern Great Plains . Retreating northward, a warm front interacted with a shortwave to produce isolated thunderstorms from northern Missouri and Central Illinois to the Lower Peninsula of Michigan . The well-defined surface cyclone over the High Plains intensified as it headed into Iowa , its central pressure decreasing from 990 to 985  mb (29.23 to 29.09  inHg ) by 1:00 p.m. CDT (18:00 UTC). As

5829-423: The southern edge of Hillsdale . The tornado hurled a New York Central Railroad freight train into Baw Beese Lake. Across Hillsdale County the tornado killed 11 or more people and destroyed 177 homes. Entering Lenawee County, the tornado traversed the Irish Hills and approached Manitou Beach–Devils Lake . As it struck Manitou Beach–Devils Lake, the tornado destroyed the Manitou Beach Baptist Church; of

5916-431: The strongest tornado on April 11; in fact, Grazulis and other sources have assigned an F5 rating to the tornado, though it is officially rated F4. As the Lafayette–Middlefork tornado dissipated, a new tornado developed nearby without a definite break in the damage path. Due to changes in the intensity of the damage, surveyors split the path into two separate tornadoes. At about 7:28 p.m. CDT (00:28 UTC),

6003-421: The tornado apparently weakened somewhat, but still generated extensive damage eastward to Hunter Lake. Shortly before dissipating, the tornado tossed cars off the Indiana Turnpike near Scott. Like the Midway tornado, the Dunlap event was also witnessed as twin funnels: a photographer standing amidst the wreckage of the Midway Trailer Court captured the Dunlap tornado as it passed just to the north. It may have been

6090-913: The tornado as an F5, but it is officially rated F4. A vigorous, pre-frontal squall line generated severe thunderstorm winds from eastern Iowa to lakefront Illinois. Winds peaked at 70 kn (81 mph; 130 km/h) in Dixon, Illinois , and an anemometer at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago registered 60 kn (69 mph; 110 km/h). The strong winds, coupled with hail , damaged or destroyed numerous structures, felled trees, and downed utility wires. Across Northern Illinois , numerous funnel clouds were sighted in Wheaton , Carol Stream , Winfield , West Chicago , Aurora , and Rockford , respectively. Thunderstorms also generated hail of up to 2 in (5.1 cm) in diameter as well; 2-inch-diameter (5.1 cm) measurements occurred from South Dakota , Oklahoma , and Arkansas to Indiana , Mississippi , and Georgia on April 10–12. In

6177-654: The tornado reached the Cleveland metropolitan area , it diverged into two paths about a one-half mile (0.80 km) apart. Several witnesses also saw two funnels merging into one, similar to the Midway–Dunlap tornadoes. Large trees situated 50 feet (15 m) apart were found to have been felled in opposite directions. The tornado displayed borderline-F5-level damage in northernmost Strongsville . There, 18 homes were leveled, some of which were cleanly swept from their foundations, and 50 others were severely damaged in town. Damages amounted to at least $ 5 million and are officially listed as $ 50 million. Grazulis classified

6264-486: The tornado tossed boats ashore, wrecked piers, and caused homes to collapse, resulting in one additional death. The tornado also displaced several homes from their foundations. The tornado neared U.S. Route 12 as it dissipated at 3:42 p.m. CST (21:42 UTC). Damage estimates were set at about $ 1.5 million. This was the most famous and well-publicized of the Palm Sunday tornadoes, often remembered as

6351-413: The tornado unroofed or severely damaged several houses. Alongside U.S. Route 14 the tornado claimed its first fatality, a man in a barn. Nearby gas stations and a strip mall were damaged. At the latter place, a roof sheltering a Piggly Wiggly and a Neisner's collapsed, trapping 20 or more people below. The tornado tossed cars about in the parking lot as well. Shortly afterward, the tornado struck

6438-489: The tornado would "jump" from one house to another. However, Fujita discovered that the actual reason is most destruction is caused by suction vortices: small, intense mini-tornadoes within the main tornado. The tornado outbreak generated 38  significant tornadoes, 18 of them violent—F4 or F5 on the Fujita scale of tornado intensity—and 22 deadly. Covering six states and about 335 sq mi (870 km ),

6525-491: The tornadoes were headed their way. From the Detroit Metropolitan Airport , the radar operator at the U.S. Weather Bureau Office (WBO) observed that the thunderstorms over Northern Indiana and western Lower Michigan were moving east-northeastward at 70 mph (110 km/h). Of the southernmost counties of Michigan, all but three— Berrien , Cass , and St. Joseph —were hit. Starting just south of

6612-572: The tornadoes. Dan Cherry released "Night of the Wind" in 2002; Roger Pickenpaugh published "The Night of the Wicked Winds" in 2003; Cherry wrote "50 Years Later" in 2015 with all-color images of the aftermath; and Janis Thornton published "The 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes in Indiana" in 2022. Additionally, significant scientific data were gathered from aerial surveys of the tornado paths. The outbreak

6699-729: The town of Conway in Faulkner County, Arkansas , killing six people and injuring 200. The following morning, at 7:00 a.m. CDT (12:00  UTC ), data from radiosondes indicated wind speeds of 120–150  kn (140–170  mph ; 220–280  km/h ) between the altitudes of 18,000–30,000  ft (5,500–9,100  m ) over the Sonoran – Chihuahua Deserts and the Arizona/New Mexico Mountains . Meanwhile, at 10,000 ft (3,000 m), winds of 70 kn (81 mph; 130 km/h) impinged on

6786-480: The vote. In the 2016 presidential election , Republican Donald Trump received 50% of the vote whereas Democratic Hillary Clinton received 42% of the vote. In 2020 , Joe Biden came within 3% of carrying the county for the Democrats for the second time since 1852. McHenry County is now the only collar county that still leans Republican. No person with significant ties to McHenry County has ever been elected to

6873-477: The warm front bisected central Iowa and stretched into Illinois and Indiana, a cold front and very dry air aloft—indicative of a potent elevated mixed layer —departed from eastern Kansas . Strong winds transported steep lapse rates within the elevated mixed layer eastward across the Great Plains . Concomitant destabilization of the atmosphere occurred over the warm sector due to abundant sunshine from

6960-631: The warning system failed as the public never received them. Additionally, the public did not know the difference between a Forecast and an Alert. Thus the terms tornado watch and tornado warning were implemented in 1966. Pivotal to those clarifications was a meeting in the WMT Station's studio in Cedar Rapids, Iowa . Officials of the severe storms forecast center in Kansas City met with WMT meteorologist Conrad Johnson and News Director Grant Price . Their discussion led to establishment of

7047-473: The way east to Lake Michigan , with the county seat centrally in McHenry , but in 1839, the eastern townships of the county were carved out forming Lake County . According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 611 square miles (1,580 km ), of which 603 square miles (1,560 km ) is land and 7.6 square miles (20 km ) (1.3%) is water. In recent years, average temperatures in

7134-695: The western segment of the county remains primarily agricultural and rural. McHenry County was formed in 1836 out of Cook and LaSalle counties. The county was named for Major William McHenry , a member of the Illinois Militia during Tecumseh's War, a major during the Blackhawk War in 1832, and a member of the Illinois House of Representatives and Senate. He died in Vandalia, Illinois in 1835. McHenry County originally stretched all

7221-465: Was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.25. The median age was 38.0 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 76,482 and the median income for a family was $ 86,698. Males had a median income of $ 61,971 versus $ 42,125 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 31,838. About 4.9% of families and 6.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over. Before

7308-600: Was completely destroyed, with many homes swept away. The Kingston Heights subdivision was similarly devastated. The death toll from the two subdivisions was 28 people, with another six killed in a home and truck stop at the junction of State Road 15 and U.S. Route 20 . The Palm Sunday Tornado Memorial Park now exists near this location, at the corner of County Road 45 and Cole Street in Dunlap ( 41°38′29″N 85°55′31″W  /  41.641522°N 85.925157°W  / 41.641522; -85.925157 ). After striking Dunlap,

7395-616: Was first detected at 3:27 p.m. CDT (21:27 UTC), but officially touched down seven minutes earlier, in Lakewood. At that time the tornado first produced visible damage, at the Crystal Lake Country Club; two  firs on the golf course were prostrated. Initially narrow, the tornado subsequently and rapidly widened to 1,300 feet (400 m). Crossing Nash Street and McHenry Avenue in Crystal Lake ,

7482-401: Was the first to be studied in-depth aerially by tornado scientist Tetsuya Theodore Fujita , who proposed new theories about the structure of tornadoes based upon his study. Dr. Fujita discovered suction vortices during the Palm Sunday tornado outbreak. It had previously been thought the reason why tornadoes could hit one house and leave another across the street completely unscathed was because

7569-510: Was the most populous county in the United States without direct access to an Interstate Highway within its borders. As a result, residents usually used the nearby Interstate 90 (the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway ), via interchanges in neighboring Kane County . But a new interchange is now completed at I-90 and Illinois Route 23, which provides McHenry County with direct access to the interstate highway system. Interstate 94 lies to

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