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Severe Midwestern weather may have some evoking ‘higher power’

Years ago in the late ’60s after Chicago had received in excess of 27 inches of snow, bringing the city to a quiet halt, then NBC-TV Tonight talk show host Johnny Carson in his opening monologue said, “I don’t know what those people in Chicago did, but they need to tell God they are sorry.” Although Carson’s comments got the laughs then, the events of the summer of 2007 may have some of us asking that same question again.

The Midwestern states of Illinois, Minnesota and Ohio in particular have faced devastation due to weather-related events, such as the horrific storms that hit northern Illinois on Aug. 24 causing power outages for 200,000 residents for days, flooding along the Des Plaines River and hundreds of mature trees to be toppled as if in a matchstick display. Flooding, high winds and actual tornado touchdowns, and wildfires have broken records all across the Great Plains this year. Flooding in Ohio cities have been described as the most devastating residents have faced in over 100 years and Minnesota homeowners call it the “500 year flood.”

Here are some highlights provided by The Associated Press:

• Illinois — In late August several days of heavy rains culminated in a fierce storm on Aug. 24 that walloped northern Illinois with 70 and 80 mile an hour winds and dropped heavy rainfall causing flash floods. Northern Chicago, Mount Prospect, Glenview, Wilmette and Winnetka, were hit the hardest by the winds and rain. The DuPage, the Des Plaines and Fox Rivers all swelled to flooding levels. Over 200,000 homes were without power for more than three days.
• Minnesota – In March, rapidly melting snow and ice jams caused the Little Minnesota River to overflow its banks along the western border, damaging more than 140 structures. In that case, lawmakers rushed aid to the community of Browns Valley before adjourning this spring. In May, a wildfire roared through 118 square miles in northeastern Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. More than 130 buildings were destroyed. In August, heavy rains broke dikes and overflowed creeks affecting another 4,200 home.
• Ohio – More than 1,000 people were flooded out of their homes after heavy rain that swamped communities across the American Midwest sent Ohio’s rivers spilling over their banks, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland said. The storm’s death toll also rose when three people were electrocuted by lightning at a bus stop. In one Ohio county alone, more than 700 homes were severely damaged or destroyed by flooding. In one town, firefighters and a volunteer armada navigated boats and canoes through streets waist-deep in water in their northwest Ohio plucking neighbors and their pets from porches.

Many of the accounts of the storms list the overall damages from these “acts of God,” but it is too soon to know the “insured” losses. Those numbers will come in the weeks ahead. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Midwest tops the statistical list of greatest insured losses for 2007 … but let’s face it, this is a contest no region really wants to win.