A powerful line of storms is sweeping through the Chicago area Monday morning, bringing the threat of tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail with it.
The Storm Prediction Center has placed the region under a Level 2 slight risk for severe storms, per ABC7. The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio which are valid until 6:00pm EDT (5:00pm CDT) on Monday, May 18. The watch area puts over 13.9 million people at risk, along with 4,213 schools and 278 hospitals, according to NWS.
What are the biggest threats right now?
The storms are packing a serious punch. According to the NWS, the primary threats include:
Tornadoes- A couple of tornadoes are possible
Hail- Isolated hail up to ping pong ball size
Wind- Scattered gusts up to 70 mph are likely
Showers and clouds are expected to linger through the afternoon and evening, ABC7 AccuWeather Meteorologist Tracy Butler said.
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Which areas have a severe thunderstorm warning?
As of 11:59am CDT, only one Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains active, according to the NWS:
Lake, Jasper, Newton and Porter counties, Indiana Warning in effect until 12:15pm CDT,
Earlier warnings were in place for Joliet, Bolingbrook, and Romeoville until 11:00am CDT and for Cook County and Lake County, Indiana until 11:30am CDT. Warnings for Will, Grundy, and Kendall counties were also in effect until 11:00am CDT, per NWS.
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Flights delayed as storms hit Chicago area
The storms caused major travel disruptions earlier in the day. Winds at Midway Airport gusted up to 53 mph. A ground stop was in effect at Midway International Airport, according to the FAA. At O’Hare Airport, arrivals were running an average of 76 minutes late and departures were delayed around 30 minutes, per Fox 32.
What will the weather be like this week?
More showers and thunderstorms could return on Tuesday, mainly during the morning and early afternoon. However, some northern areas may not get much rain at all.
Temperatures are expected to reach close to 80°F before a cold front moves through later in the day. After that, cooler weather will arrive. High temperatures may stay below 60°F on Wednesday and remain in the low 60s on Thursday.
The weather is expected to warm up again later in the week, with temperatures near 70°F by Friday and around 80°F by Sunday. The next good chance for rain is expected Friday night.
