Heavy rain, damaging winds and storms were expected to sweep through the Chicago area Tuesday, with some storms potentially turning strong to severe.
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, some parts saw rain falling overnight. Others, especially areas in Lake and DeKalb counties, were seeing scattered, spotty showers early Tuesday.
Winds were also strong Tuesday morning, with gusts in the 30s and 40s. Forecast models showed that gusts were expected to get even higher as the day continued.
A break in the rain is expected to last through the morning commute, NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said, with showers expected to pick back up by around 10 a.m. Between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., storms could develop, Roman said, with some potentially turning severe.
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According to the Storm Prediction Center, parts of Northwest Indiana at that time will be under a "marginal" risk of severe weather, which ranks as level one of five on the SPC's severe weather scale. At that time, the greatest weather threats were expected to be heavy downpours and damaging wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour, Roman said.
Additionally, the chance of a tornado in can't be ruled out.
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"There's a non-zero tornado threat," Roman said, noting that the chance for a tornado to form was lower than 2%. If a tornado does form, Roman said it would likely remain in Central Indiana.
According to the National Weather Service, the greatest chance for storms to develop are east of I-55.
Early Tuesday, parts of Northeastern Illinois were also under a marginal risk of severe weather. However, around 8 a.m., the SPC released an update stating the threat of severe weather would primarily be for Northwest and Central Indiana, as well as Ohio.
"A line of gusty showers will pass through the area this morning," The National Weather Service said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The NWS added that the conditions could include isolated lightning strikes and damaging winds.
Later Tuesday morning, the NWS issued Special Weather Statements for areas to the south and west, including Chicago, Oak Lawn, Kankakee, Joliet, Naperville, and Calumet City, as well as Hammond and Gary in Indiana, warning of winds up to 55 miles per hour.
Temperatures Tuesday are expected to drop, Roman said, with highs in the 40s and 50s to start the day, but tumbling into the 20s and 30s by late Tuesday evening and overnight.
According to the National Weather Service, some flurries could form.
Drier, cooler weather is set to move in Wednesday, with highs in the mid 40s, Roman added.
