CHICAGO – Severe weather is expected in much of the Chicago area this afternoon.
Fox 32 meteorologists have you covered with what to expect today.
3:45 p.m. – Power Outages in Indiana
Approximately 28,000 customers are without power in Northern/Northwest Indiana due to Sunday’s severe weather, according to NIPSCO. An estimate of when power will be restored has not been determined. Tap here for details.
3:55 p.m. – Tornado Watch Dropped for NW Indiana Counties
The Tornado Watch issued for Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper Counties in Indiana has been dropped. It has not yet been dropped for LaPorte. The worst of the storms are now headed east.
3:40 p.m. – Power Outages in South Suburbs
Several power outages were reported in Chicago’s south suburbs, including Tinley Park and Frankfort, after severe storms passed through. For the latest on the outages, follow this link.
3:20 p.m. – White Sox/Chicago Stars on Rain Delays
The Chicago White Sox game against the Los Angeles Angels at Rate Field is delayed due to severe weather. The rainfall is expected to last for another 30 minutes to an hour.
The Chicago Stars match in Louisville is also delayed due to inclement weather.
3:15 p.m. – Tornado Watch for NE Illinois Canceled
The Tornado Watch issued for Northeast Illinois has been canceled, as of 3:10 p.m. The watch remains in effect for NW Indiana.
3 p.m. – Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Porter County, Ind.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect for Porter County, Ind. until 3:45 p.m. Wind gusts of up to 70 mph are possible.
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings remain in effect for LaPorte County until 4 p.m., SE Jasper until 3:15 p.m. and NE Jasper until 3:45 p.m.
A wind gust of 74 mph was reported at Gary Airport and a wind gust of 81 mph was reported at Valparaiso Airport at the peak of the storms, according to FOX 32 meteorologists.
2:45 p.m. – Ground Stop at O’Hare Airport
A ground stop has been issued at O’Hare International Airport due to severe weather until 3:45 p.m. Sunday.
Flights are delayed on average for 45 minutes, according to the FAA.
2:30 p.m. – Tornado Warning
A Tornado Warning has been issued for Newton County and parts of Lake County. Signs of rotation also seen near Peotone.
2:10 p.m. – Severe Thunderstorm Warning
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Will and southern Cook counties until 3 p.m.
Severe storms over Manhattan and New Lenox were moving northeast at 55 mph. Gusts up to 60 mph are possible.
2:10 p.m. – Severe Thunderstorm Warning
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for southeastern Newton and Jasper counties until 3:15 p.m. for 70 mph winds.
Storms are moving northeast at 75 mph.
1:50 p.m. – Severe Thunderstorm Warning
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for southeastern McHenry, Lake and far northwestern Cook County until 2: 30 p.m..
Wind gusts up to 60 mph and penny-sized hail are possible.
1:15 p.m. – Tornado Watch issued
A Tornado Watch was issued for much of the Chicago area until 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
The watch is in effect for Cook, DuPage, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Livingston, and Will counties.
The watch also includes parts of northern Indiana and southwest Michigan.
11 a.m. – What to expect
- TIMING OF HIGHEST CONCERN: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday
- HAZARDS: Damaging winds (60-75mph), large hail (up to 2 inches in diameter), and tornadoes
- WHERE: All of Chicagoland, but the highest risk is along and southeast of I-55
The Storm Prediction Center has areas southeast of I-55 in an “Enhanced Risk,” this is a level 3 of 5 on their severe risk scale. Locations near and along I-55 are in a “Slight Risk” (level 2 of 5), and then north and northwest portions of Chicagoland are in a “Marginal Risk” (level 1/5).
What does this mean? All of Chicagoland has a risk of severe storms today, but the highest risk is along and SE of I-55.
Damaging winds up to 75 mph and large hail up to 2 inches in diameter will be the primary concern, but tornadoes will also be possible.
Fox 32 Meteorologist Mike Caplan’s look at one model on the Next Generation Weather Lab shows a quicker moving system than previously anticipated.
Around 2 p.m. is when the line of storms is expected to hit the Chicago area, but then by around 3 p.m., that system is already expected to be heading into Indiana heading east.
By about 4 p.m., the system is basically out of the Chicago area.
Still, please have ways to get severe weather alerts.
If you haven’t already done so, you can download our FOX 32 Weather App. This app will send you severe weather alerts to let you know if a warning has been issued for your location.
Timeline of severe storms
- 8:30 a.m. Sunday: Showers and thunderstorms roll into LaSalle County.
- 9:45 a.m. Sunday: Storms reach Chicago, followed by a short lull.
- 1:45 p.m. Sunday: A second round of storms kicks in.
- 3 p.m. Sunday: A stronger line of storms sweeps through.
- 6 p.m. Sunday: Heavy showers taper off, with a chance of snow as cooler air moves in.
- By early evening, the storm system will mostly clear out.
