Weather Service Radar Out; Lightning Suspected

Mother Nature paid a visit to the Wednesday night by way of a suspected lightning strike that knocked out its radar.

It happens on occasion, said meteorologist Gino Izzi, who confirmed they lost their radar at about 9 p.m. and that an electrical hit from the sky was the likely culprit. A technician was working to reinstate it, he said, but if it was a lightning strike, it could be some time before it's back in operation.

Fortunately, that system is only one of several they rely on to observe weather patterns and make forecasts, Izzi said. With the Doppler systems still in working condition at O'Hare and Midway airports and several others dotting northern Illinois, it's business as usual.

"I'd call it a minor inconvenience," Izzi said.

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