35 years after deadly 1990 Will County tornado, weather forecasting has seen major advances

The weather forecast for Will County called for thunderstorms on Aug. 28, 1990. No advanced warnings or watches were issued for the possibility of a tornado.

Then, an F5 twister tore into parts of Oswego , Crest Hill , Joliet and Plainfield , completely obscured by rain.

The storm killed 29 people and injured 353 more over a 16-mile stretch. It demolished Plainfield High School, a church and large portions of the town. The storm leveled homes and a large apartment complex in Crest Hill, and caused damage to homes and businesses on Joliet’s west side.

This tornado remains the only F5-rated tornado – the strongest storm rating by the National Weather Service – documented in the U.S. during the month of August.

“There have been a lot of changes in the last 35 years,” said Mike