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The National Weather Service is warning northern Illinois residents to seek shelter Tuesday afternoon as a series of severe thunderstorms march across the area, with some producing baseball-size hail and winds in excess of 70 miles per hour.
According to the National Weather Service, hail 2.75 inches in diameter is considered “baseball-size,” while hail that is 2.5 inches in diameter is considered “tennis ball-size.”
At least one report has already come in of baseball-size hail in the area, with a hailstone in Sandwich, located in DeKalb County, measuring 2.75 inches, according to trained weather spotters.
Large hail was observed in Montgomery, with golf-ball size hail falling there, as seen in an image sent to NBC 5 by viewer Amanda Sipin:
Another hailstone 2.5 inches in diameter was reported in LaSalle County’s Leland area, and a similar-sized hailstone was reported in Troy Grove, also in LaSalle County.
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Elsewhere, golf ball-size hail of 1.75 inches in diameter was reported in both Kane and Kendall counties, in Aurora and Yorkville, respectively.
Montgomery also reported golf ball-size hail, as did Mendota, according to officials.
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The storms capable of producing the large hail are still churning toward the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs, with a severe thunderstorm watch remaining in effect until 3 p.m.
Even more severe weather could occur later in the evening hours, according to officials, but no watches are currently in effect beyond the 3 p.m. hour at this time.
