With severe thunderstorms rapidly approaching the Chicago area, restaurants and businesses with outdoor service are advised to bring in tents, tables and other items that could potentially be destroyed or damaged by dangerous winds.
With coronavirus restrictions still in place in many areas, most restaurants still have outdoor seating areas with overhead canopies and tents. The National Weather Service is advising business owners to bring such items inside, with wind gusts in excess of 80 miles per hour possible Monday afternoon:
Residents with umbrellas, patio furniture or other items outside their homes are also advised to bring them inside to prevent them from being damaged, or from potentially becoming projectiles with the gusty winds approaching the region.
According to current models, sustained winds in excess of 70 miles per hour are possible with these storms, with significant tree damage and even some structural damage possible as a result of the severe weather.
All residents are urged to seek shelter inside the lowest level of their residences, or to find a solid interior room to seek shelter in.
The storms are expected to impact the western suburbs before 3 p.m. and could be in Chicago by 3:30 p.m. The storms are moving east-northeast at 70 miles per hour, and have already spawned numerous severe thunderstorm warnings.
