Following a week of wild weather that saw heavy downpours, lightning, flood watches and warnings and at least 11 tornadoes rip through several Chicago suburbs, the threat of severe weather looms Friday and into the weekend as another round of potentially strong storms is expected to develop, the NBC 5 Storm Team said.
Here's a look at your Chicago weather forecast for this weekend, and a look back the nearly a dozen tornadoes that struck the area Wednesday.
Friday Forecast
Some early morning showers and storms developing to the west could bring light, scattered showers to some Chicago suburbs, including those in the father northern counties as the morning continues, NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.
According to forecast models, any morning storms that do form could be accompanied by lightning strikes and gusty winds. However, "severe weather is not expected" Friday morning, the National Weather Service said.
By Friday afternoon however, the chance for stronger storms increases, the NBC 5 Storm Team said. At that time, the Chicago area will fall under "a "slight" chance for severe weather, which ranks as level two on the Storm Prediction Center's five-level scale.
Earlier Friday, the Chicago area was under a lower, "marginal" risk of severe weather.
Beginning at 2 p.m. and lasting into Friday evening, another round of thunderstorms is expected to make its way from the north and northwest into the Chicago area, the NBC 5 Storm Team said. According to the NWS, Friday afternoon storms may be capable of producing frequent lightning strikes, along with damaging hail and winds.
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Local
Additionally, "torrential downpours may cause pockets of street flooding," the NWS said in a tweet.
The NWS reports the greatest instances of local, heavy rainfall and potential flash flooding is most likely to take place south and east of Interstate 57.
Temperatures on Friday are expected to be warm, muggy and humid, the NBC 5 Storm said, with high temperatures in the mid to upper 80s, and heat indices potentially reaching into the low to mid 90s.
Weather Forecast for Saturday, Sunday
According to Roman, Friday's afternoon and evening storms are expected to linger into the weekend, with some scattered showers expected Saturday morning.
More rain and potentially strong, scattered thunderstorms are expected to move into the area Saturday afternoon, Roman said, between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Sunday, more dry time is expected, the NBC 5 Storm Team said, with the low chance of a late-day storm.
High temperatures both weekend days are expected to be in the mid 80s, forecast models show.
How many tornadoes hit Illinois Wednesday, and where?
The National Weather Service on Thursday confirmed at least 11 tornadoes touched down in the Chicago area Wednesday, with damage teams still assessing whether additional touchdowns occurred.
According to officials, at least three of those tornadoes were EF-1 classified, with wind speeds of over 100 miles per hour.
Here's what we know about each of the tornado strikes:
- EF-1: Elgin, max speed of 100 mph
- EF-0: Elgin, just south of the EF-1, max speed of 85 mph
- EF-1: Burr Ridge into Stickney, max speed of 110 mph
- EF-1: Huntley, max speed of 90 mph
- EF-0: Oswego into Boulder Hill, max speed of 85 mph
- EF-0: Carol Stream into Glendale Heights
- EF-0: Streamwood
- EF-0: Two near O'Hare International Airport: One traveled from Itasca, one originated at the airport and moved towards Des Plaines
- EF-0: Barrington, max speed over 70 miles per hour
- EF-0: Long Grove, max speed over 70 miles per hour
