High Surf — Central Cook County, Illinois

2025-06-21 · Central Cook County, Illinois

Event narrative

Six people were boating at 63rd St Beach on the afternoon of the 21st when two of the occupants fell into the water. One managed to get to safety, while the other, a man, remained missing. Rescue efforts turned to recovery efforts in the days following, but were unable to locate the man's body.

Wider weather episode

Strong winds on the 21st generated high waves and deadly currents on southern Lake Michigan beaches, resulting in several water rescues and a couple of fatalities. The Harrison-Dever Crib was regularly reporting wind gusts between 45 and 55 mph during the afternoon out of the southwest, with a peak gust of 62 mph.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1273186. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.