Severe Thunderstorms, Hail, Tornadoes Possible On Thursday
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Severe storms moving through the Midwest were expected to bring heavy rain, large hail, damaging winds, and possibly some tornadoes to the Chicago area on Thursday, with the heaviest storm activity hitting Thursday afternoon.
The threat of severe weather stretches all the way from southern Wisconsin and Michigan all the way down to Texas.
The morning started out foggy in Chicago, with a dense fog advisory in place until 9 a.m., thanks to visibility of a mile or less in many areas.
Scattered thunderstorms passed through the Chicago area overnight, bringing lots of thunder and lightning to the western suburbs. Some hail also fell in the Chicago area early Thursday, and could be a factor throughout the day.
Skies could clear briefly in the late morning, but stronger storms should come through Thursday afternoon, with the biggest storms likely firing up around 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. in Chicago.
According to the National Weather Service, the most significant risk of severe weather comes in the late afternoon and early evening. Some smaller supercells could bring severe winds, damaging hail, or even isolated tornadoes.
The severe storms will be accompanied by a rapid rise in temperatures, with a high of about 75 degrees in the mid-afternoon, 30 degrees warmer than it was in Chicago at 6 a.m.