The wind-gust stats recorded Monday and Tuesday in Kane County and throughout the Chicago area just might blow you away.

According to the National Weather Service Chicago, the “Chicago Crib” marine location reported a gust of 62 mph. Here in Kane County, Sugar Grove Airport record peak winds of 52 mph.

Responsible for these winds has been a strong weather system, known as a low pressure, that tracked from the Plains to Lake Superior.

“This system deepened and rapidly Monday night, and this tightening and changing of the pressure gradient were key components in the strong winds,” the NWS said. “The temperature difference was strengthened by this weather system, with 60s brought northward on Monday, then 20s brought southward on behind the system.”

Fast Facts

• The peak wind gusts observed at area airports were 56 mph at Rockford Airport (11:07 p.m.) and Waukegan Airport (9 p.m.).
• The strongest wind gust at Chicago O’Hare was 49 mph at 12:54 a.m. on early Tuesday morning.
• The winds caused isolated minor damage per media reports, such as a gas station canopy in Alsip, and some windows blown out in a few locations.
• Temperatures on Monday were near record highs in the mid 60s, and then fell sharply to around 30 degrees by Tuesday morning, with wind chills in the teens to 20 degrees.

Peak Wind Gusts

Following are a list of the highest wind gusts at area airports
and Lake Michigan marine platforms. The winds did cause isolated
minor damage.

Land Location                Speed     Time/Date       Provider
---------------------------------------------------------------
Rockford Airport             56 MPH    1107 PM 12/04   ASOS
Waukegan Airport             56 MPH    0900 PM 12/04   ASOS
Peru Airport                 54 MPH    1235 AM 12/05   AWOS
Rochelle Airport             54 MPH    1235 AM 12/05   AWOS
Sugar Grove - Aurora Airport 52 MPH    1231 AM 12/05   ASOS
De Kalb Airport              51 MPH    0815 PM 12/04   AWOS
Dupage Airport               51 MPH    1251 AM 12/05   ASOS
Rensselaer Airport           49 MPH    0755 PM 12/04   AWOS
Chicago O`Hare               49 MPH    1254 AM 12/05   ASOS
Chicago Midway               48 MPH    1202 AM 12/05   ASOS
Gary Airport                 48 MPH    0945 PM 12/04   AWOS
Valparaiso Airport           48 MPH    0659 PM 12/04   ASOS
Wheeling - Chi Exec Airport  46 MPH    1215 AM 12/05   ASOS
Romeoville - Lewis Airport   46 MPH    0835 PM 12/04   AWOS
Lansing Airport              46 MPH    1135 PM 12/04   AWOS
Pontiac Airport              46 MPH    0735 PM 12/04   AWOS
Joliet Airport               44 MPH    1255 AM 12/05   AWOS
Morris Airport               44 MPH    1255 AM 12/05   AWOS
Kankakee Airport             44 MPH    0855 PM 12/04   AWOS


Marine Location                Speed     Time/Date     Provider
---------------------------------------------------------------
Chicago Crib                 62 MPH    1140 PM 12/04   MARITIME
Michigan City C-man          53 MPH    0200 AM 12/05   MARITIME
Burns Harbor                 49 MPH    0150 AM 12/05   NWS-GLOS
Calumet Harbor               46 MPH    0842 PM 12/04   NWLON
Waukegan Harbor              45 MPH    0240 AM 12/05   NWS-GLOS

Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying
equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers
for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.

SOURCE: National Weather Service Chicago