Community Corner
Wilmette Reports No Damage Yet from Harsh Weather
As of Tuesday evening, fast winds and tall waves had not caused harm, but the village is not out of the woods quite yet.
Warnings of fast winds and high waves may have given some Wilmette residents the expectation of awaking Tuesday to a town full of broken tree branches, scattered trash and other debris.
Yet the village seems to have escaped the first day of the storm largely without damage.
During the past day and a half, Illinois’ lakeside towns have been on alert, warned by the National Weather Service that harsh weather conditions caused by Hurricane Sandy had the potential to cause floods, 60 mph winds and 18 to 23 foot waves along Lake Michigan. The Village of Wilmette sent out a special weather alert Monday afternoon, advising residents to stay away from beaches and public parks by the waterfront.
Find out what's happening in Wilmette-Kenilworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
However, representatives from the Village of Wilmette’s Public Works Department and the Wilmette Harbor Association both told Patch that the severe weather had yet to cause any damage as of Tuesday afternoon.
“We have not had anything yet,” said Wilmette Director of Public Works Donna Jakubowski. “We’re just doing our regular operations.”
Find out what's happening in Wilmette-Kenilworthwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Jakubowski said that employees of the village’s water plant had taken some extra precautions Monday by placing sandbags near the plant but noted that she had not heard of any reported damage that structure. Calls to the water plant superintendent were not returned at the time of publication.
Sabine Herber, executive director of the Wilmette Harbor Association, said that the harbor had closed for the season on Sunday and few boats were left in the water.
“So far so good,” Herber said. “There is a lot of wind. The boats left in the water and they are holding up well. We have a ways to go before this is completely over, but I believe that we’re going to be okay.”
The village is not entirely clear of the potential threat, though. The National Weather Service’s flood warning is in effect until 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The southern tip of Lake Michigan is getting hit particularly hard by the storm, reported The Times of Northwest Indiana.
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