Hottest Day Of The Year So Far To Generate Scattered Storms
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Wednesday was expected be the hottest day of the year so far in Chicago, and storms that should move through in the afternoon could make things very steamy south of the city.
The normal daytime high for June 10 in Chicago is 78 degrees, and it was already 80 at O'Hare International Airport shortly before 9 a.m. That temperature was expected to climb to about 91, which is still well shy of the record of 98, set in 1911.
It will mark the first time Chicago has reached 90 degrees since last July. The hottest day so far this year was Tuesday, when Chicago's official temperature reached 85 degrees.
Scattered showers and storms were expected to spark up through the afternoon and evening. The biggest threat of organized storms comes between 3 p.m. and midnight. The strongest of those storms could bring high winds, heavy rain, and hail, because they'll be loaded with all the humidity around the Chicago area.
The National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center expected a slight risk of severe weather along a band just south of the city, and most of northwest Indiana, lining up along Interstate 80. North of that, there is only a marginal risk of severe weather.
Some scattered storms already popped up south of the city early Wednesday, including one cell that generated a lot of lightning in northwest Indiana around 6 a.m. There also was scattered storm activity from Kankakee to Ottawa.
Temperatures should be about 10 degrees cooler on Thursday, though there will be another chance for scattered rain and storms Thursday and Friday.
Saturday should be clear and mild, with a high of about 75, followed by more warm and rainy weather Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.