Chicago Weather Alert: Severe storms, hail sweep through area
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The threat of severe weather increased Thursday afternoon, and a tornado watch was issued.
Any storms that pass through the Chicago area Thursday have the potential for damaging winds and large hail. Also, the tornado threat is looking more impressive.
There is also a 2% to 5% chance of a tornado developing, with the higher likelihood in the far western suburbs.
Severe weather threat is over
The severe weather threat is over. Scattered rain possible through midnight, but mainly for areas in Northwest Indiana. Mostly cloudy overnight with lows in the low to mid 40s.
Mostly cloudy, breezy and much cooler for Friday with highs in the low 60s.
Chilly and windy for Saturday with highs in the mid 40s and a chance for rain. Upper 40s for Sunday, then 50s for next workweek.
TONIGHT: Mostly cloudy overnight. Low 47°
FRIDAY: Mostly cloudy, breezy and cooler. High 63°
SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy and colder. A 30% chance of rain. High 47°
Parts to west all clear
Severe storms are still passing through central and southern areas of Cook County – including the South Side of Chicago – as well as eastern Will and northern Kankakee counties.
The Cubs game had a brief rain delay, but fans were headed back into the stands by 7:12 p.m.
Tornado watch scaled back
The tornado watch has been dropped for Grundy, Kendall, Kane, McHenry, DeKalb, and LaSalle counties.
Severe T-storm warning for Cook, Will, DuPage counties
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for northwestern Will, southeastern DuPage, and eastern Cook counties.
Much of Chicago is included.
Mobile Weather Lab sees heavy rain, hail as storm sweeps through Chicago area
Severe T-storm warning for Will, Grundy, Kankakee counties
A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect until 7 p.m. for Grundy, southwest Will, northwest Kankakee, and north central Livingston counties.
Tracking the path of the severe storm system
Severe T-storm warning for Lake, McHenry, parts of Kane and Cook counties
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued until 6:30 p.m. for Lake and McHenry counties, and northern Kane and northwestern Cook counties.
Severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Hampshire to Streamwood, moving northeast at 65 mph.
Severe T-storm warning for Kane, DeKalb, LaSalle counties
Severe thunderstorm warnings are now in place for southeastern LaSalle and northwestern Livingston counties until 6:15 p.m., and Kane and northern DeKalb counties until 6 p.m.
Hail pelts Mobile Weather Lab
The Mobile Weather Lab drove into the storm system sweeping across northern Illinois and was met with hail coming down west of the Chicago area.
Severe thunderstorm warning for northern McHenry County
A severe thunderstorm warning is now in effect for northern McHenry County, as well as Boone County and eastern Winnebago County.
The warning is in effect until 6 p.m.
The National Weather Service warns of 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail.
Tornado warning for Peoria area
A tornado warning is in effect until 5:15 p.m. for central Woodford, northeastern Tazewell, and east central Peoria counties.
The tornadic storm was spotted near Peoria, and over east Peoria, at 4:49 p.m. It was moving northeast at 35 mph.
The storm will be near Washington and Germantown Hills around 5 p.m., and Eureka, Metamora, and Roanoke are also in its path.
Tornado observed in Bureau County
A tornado has been observed in Bureau County, in the area of the rural village of Buda (pop. 472).
Hail of 2 inches in diameter was associated with the tornado.
The line of storms that sparked this tornado are intensifying as they move to the east.
Tornado warning for Henry, Bureau counties
A tornado warning is now in effect for southeast Henry and southwest Bureau counties far west of Chicago. It expires at 4:45 p.m.
The line of storms will reach Wyoming, Illinois at 4:30 p.m.; Rochelle at 4:47 p.m.; LaSalle at 5:05 p.m.; and DeKalb at 5:09 p.m.
What to expect for the evening
A Tornado Watch is in effect until 8 p.m. for all of northeastern Illinois, including the City of Chicago.
Severe thunderstorms are likely through at least 8 p.m. as a strong cold front moves through the area. Along with the threat of tornadoes, storms producing damaging winds (as high as 75 miles per hour) and very large hail (as large as golf balls) will also be possible.
Storm chances will decrease after 8 p.m. for northeastern Illinois, but continue for northwestern Indiana through at least 10 p.m. Gusty winds and hail possible through the late evening for parts of northwest Indiana.
Rain chances decreases areawide after midnight. Mostly cloudy overnight with lows in the low to mid 40s.
It will be mostly cloudy, breezy and much cooler for Friday with highs in the low 60s. Chilly and windy for Saturday with highs in the mid 40s and a chance for rain. Upper 40s for Sunday, then 50s for next workweek.
Severe storm system bearing down on far western suburbs
CBS 2's Sara Machi is in the Mobile Weather Lab traveling through the far western suburbs which is expected to get severe weather soon as a system with possible high winds and hail is heading toward the Chicago area.
Tornado warning in Whiteside, Carroll counties
A tornado warning was issued until 4:45 p.m. for northern Whiteside and southeast Carroll counties. Coloma, Hopkins, and Rock Falls were among the affected communities.
Numerous severe thunderstorms were also issued – including one until 5:15 p.m. for Ogle and Lee counties just to the west of DeKalb County.
The line is still moving east at 40 mph toward the Chicago area.
Tornado Warning west of Peoria
The National Weather Service issued a tornado Warning for Northern Fulton County in west central Illinois, just to the west of Peoria,
At 3:34 p.m. a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was located near Ipava, or 12 miles west of Lewistown, moving northeast at 40 mph.
The storm may also include ping-pong sized hail.
Very active weather pattern to hit around rush hour
CBS 2 chief meteorologist Albert Ramon was just briefing the producers in the newsroom about the timing of severe weather:
5 p.m. Strong storms in far western suburbs as well as near Wisconsin line. We expect first severe warnings to start around 4:45 p.m.
6 p.m. Storms will sweep into the Chicago suburbs, northwest Indiana and the city.
Strong straight line winds up to 70 mph and the potential for tornadoes can be expected.
Tornado watch until 8 p.m.
A tornado watch has been issued for all of Northern Illinois, much of Central Illinois, and most of southern Wisconsin – stretching as far south as Bloomington and Peoria, and as far north as Sheboygan.
The city of Chicago, the collar counties, and all the other Illinois counties in the CBS 2 viewing area are included in the tornado watch – as are Rockford and Galena in Illinois, and Kenosha, Milwaukee, Madison, Janesville, and Wisconsin Dells in Wisconsin. Northwest Indiana is not included.
A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin until 8 PM CDT pic.twitter.com/p56EGhD162
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 20, 2023
The tornado watch will remain in effect until 8 p.m.
The National Weather Service also said scattered hail up to 2 inches in size are possible across the area, as well as scattered gusts of up to 75 miles per hour.
A tornado warning was issued Thursday afternoon for southwest Henderson and southeast Lee counties along the Mississippi River. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for northwest Schuyler County south of Macomb.