A severe thunderstorm watch and multiple warnings were issued across the Chicago area early Wednesday, lasting through the afternoon as dangerous heat and more storms move into the region for the third day in a row.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for 12 counties in Illinois and four in northwest Indiana through 1 p.m.
Just before 12 p.m., the watch was canceled for seven Illinois counties while it remains in effect in LaSalle, Grundy, Kankakee, Kendall and Will counties in Illinois as well as Jasper, Lake, Newton and Porter counties in Indiana.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Newton, southern Porter, southern Lake and Jasper counties in northwest Indiana until 12 p.m.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
The NWS said the storms bring a threat of heavy downpours, 70 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail, with damage to vehicles, trees and buildings likely.
The storms come after severe weather hammered the Chicago area for the second night on Tuesday, after multiple tornadoes touched down in some suburban communities late Monday.
The storms both nights caused major damage and flooding and left thousands without power into Wednesday.
Local
As it did Tuesday, a heat advisory will again take effect Wednesday at 12 p.m. across the entire Chicago area, including northwest Indiana, and lasting through 7 p.m.
The NWS warns that a combination of hot temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s, combined with high humidity, will make for dangerous conditions in which it will feel like 100 to 105 degrees.
After the showers and storms Wednesday morning and early afternoon, forecast show conditions will turn partly sunny, windy, extremely hot and humid before another band of showers and storms moves in yet again.
This round is expected to form late afternoon or evening in far northwest counties then slide southeast across the area through the evening, with some storms likely to be strong to severe.
Heavy rain, damaging winds to 70 mph, quarter-sized hail and isolated tornadoes are all possible. Those storms will slide south of the area overnight before ending for still warm and humid conditions.
Thursday starts partly sunny, breezy, hot and humid with scattered showers and storms developing yet again in the late afternoon and evening, some possibly strong to severe. Highs Thursday will be in the upper 80s to low 90s, but will feel like 100 to 105 degrees.
The weekend starts with another chance for isolated showers and storms early Friday, but otherwise partly sunny, breezy, cooler and turning less humid with highs in the low to mid 80s, but cooler 70s along the lakefront.
