times wide. It dissipated at Rainbow Beach on Lake Michigan. An intense supercell with a hook echo on weather radar first appeared at 4:45 p.m. CDT about west-northwest of Joliet. Later, at 5:15 p.m., an employee of the U.S. Weather Bureau observed a rotating wall cloud about north of Joliet. Minutes later, severe thunderstorm winds blew out windows in a building, though no tornado or funnel cloud had yet occurred. Near the Little Red Schoolhouse, in what is now the Forest Preserve District of Cook County, an observer first noted a funnel cloud to the south, moving east with hail up to in diameter—but he was unable to report to the Weather Bureau as his telephone failed to give a dial tone. At 5:24 p.m. CDT, a tornado touched down at the present-day campus of Moraine Valley Community College and moved east-northeast, mainly at 70° heading. As it touched down, the tornado bent power poles and blew down small trees and vegetation, tossing dirt as it went. It then grew in size to wide and entered Palos Hills, destroying about five buildings—including two frame homes and a brick home—and snapping trees. Subsequently, the intensifying funnel severely damaged homes and a drive-in theater in a half-block-wide area of Chicago Ridge. Over the next six minutes, the tornado attained its maximum intensity as it tore a ( ground speed) swath of damage through Oak Lawn, Hometown, and Evergreen Park. As it passed through the business district of Oak Lawn, the tornado leveled many homes that were built entirely of brick. In Oak Lawn, the tornado threw 25–40 vehicles from the intersection of Southwest Highway and W. 95th St. (US-12/20), killing 16 people who were stuck in traffic during the rush hour. At the same intersection, the tornado destroyed the gym at Oak Lawn Community High School, including the locker room to which the students had been evacuated. Though none were killed, several students were injured. Seven shoppers were killed across the street when the roof of a grocery store collapsed on them. This tornado ended up being the deadliest of the outbreak. It destroyed the brick pro shop at Beverly Country Club at 87th and Western Avenue, trapping several people who suffered only minor injuries. As it moved beyond Evergreen Park, the tornado weakened and widened as it caused lighter damage to vegetation, roofs, and garages. It finally moved offshore as a