Rain, Thunder Coming After Nightfall
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Heavy rain and thunderstorms overnight might be a sign that spring is near, until it turns to snow about 24 hours later.
CBS 2 Meteorologist Mary Kay Kleist says the sunny conditions Tuesday morning will give way to clouds, and showers will begin around 6 p.m.
By midnight, the rain will grow heavier, and winds will pick up as thunderclaps awaken the less-than-sound sleepers of the area. The rain and storms are expected to continue until around 6 a.m., with locally heavy downpours, Kleist said.
Some localized flooding is also possible, Kleist said.
About 1/2 to 3/4 inches of rain are expected overnight, as the low drops to 38, according to the National Weather Service.
The rain will continue Wednesday, when the high is expected to hit 46. But when Thursday morning comes around, cold air will be pulled in from Canada and the rain will turn to snow, Kleist said.
Some areas will receive a fresh coat of accumulation.
The National Weather Service is also warning that some rivers are over flood stage in the area. In LaSalle, the Illinois River measured 21.4 feet at 9:45 a.m., which is 1.4 feet above flood stage.
Minor flooding is already occurring in LaSalle County and is expected to continue, according to the National Weather Service. The Riverside parking lot at Starved Rock State Park will flood if the river reaches 22 feet.
