Severe thunderstorms brought gusty winds, large hail and heavy downpours to the Chicago area, with ping pong ball-size hail and wind gusts of nearly 80 miles per hour reported.
The worst wind gusts occurred in DuPage County, with a 77 mph gust recorded at DuPage Airport. Ping pong ball-size hail was reported in multiple locations, including along the border of Will and Kankakee counties.
Some rain showers will remain in the area during the evening, but the severe threat is expected to rapidly diminish after 7:30 p.m.
Here is a recap of how the storm unfolded.
7:30 p.m.: All Active Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Expire
All remaining severe thunderstorm warnings have been allowed to expire, with some storms still impacting parts of the area.
A tornado watch does remain in effect in Lake, DuPage, Cook, Will and Kankakee counties until 8 p.m.
Local
There is still a strong storm impacting Lake County in northwest Indiana, but it has weakened to below severe limits, according to officials.
7:18 p.m.: More Than 3,000 ComEd Customers Without Power After Storms
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More than 3,000 ComEd customers are without power as a result of thunderstorms that have swept through the Chicago area.
Of those, 983 are in McHenry County, while another 897 customers are impacted in Cook County. Around 300 are without power in Kane County, and 205 are without power in DeKalb County.
7:09 p.m.: Tornado Watch Canceled in More Counties
A tornado watch in effect until 8 p.m. has been canceled in several counties, but remains in effect for Lake, DuPage, Cook, Will and Kankakee counties, officials say.
No tornado warnings have been issued in the area, but an isolated tornado could stil occur with the storms.
7 p.m. :Here Are the Active Watches and Warnings in the Chicago Area
As things stand, a tornado watch remains in effect for McHenry, Lake, Kane, DuPage, Cook, LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy, Will and Kankakee counties in Illinois until 8 p.m.
DeKalb County had previously been part of that watch, but has since been removed.
A severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect for northern Will County and central Cook County until 7:30 p.m. Another severe thunderstorm warning is also in effect for southern Will County and northern Kankakee County until 7:30 p.m.
Quarter-size hail and wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour are possible with both systems, though larger hail has been reported along the border of Will and Kankakee counties, according to officials.
6:54 p.m.: Warning Issued in Will, Kankakee Counties
Storms traveling along the border of Will and Kankakee counties have sparked another severe thunderstorm warning until 7:30 p.m.
Ping pong ball-sized hail and wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour are possible in that area.
6:35 p.m.: Severe Storms Could Arrive at Wrigley Field Within the Hour
The National Weather Service says that a severe thunderstorm could hit Wrigley Field within the next hour, as a game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs remains under a weather delay.
The storm cell could pack wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour and dump heavy rain on the stadium, along with frequent cloud-to-ground lightning.
Fans are urged to seek shelter.
6:31 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for DuPage, Will and Cook Counties
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for northwestern Will County, southeastern DuPage County and eastern Cook County until 7:30 p.m.
Officials say that 60 mph wind gusts are the main threat, along with heavy downpours.
Chicago and Joliet are both among communities potentially impacted.
6:24 p.m.: New Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for Lake, DuPage and Cook Counties
A fresh severe thunderstorm warning is now in effect for parts of Lake, DuPage and Cook counties, with wind gusts in excess of 70 miles per hour possible.
According to officials, central Lake County, northeastern DuPage County and northeastern Cook County are included in the warning, which will expire at 7 p.m.
In addition to the violent wind gusts, quarter-size hail is possible with the storms, which are moving to the northeast at 45 miles per hour.
6:19 p.m.: Wind Gust of Nearly 80 mph Reported at DuPage Airport
The National Weather Service has reported a wind gust of 77 miles per hour at DuPage Airport, part of a storm cell that triggered a severe thunderstorm warning in the area.
The storm could soon impact Wheaton, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights and other areas, and residents are advised that significant wind damage is possible to trees and homes with the storm.
Quarter-size hail is also possible.
6:08 p.m.: New Warnings Issued in Multiple Counties
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for southwestern Will County, northwestern Kankakee County and all of Grundy County until 7 p.m.
According to officials, a storm located near Dwight, moving to the northeast at 50 miles per hour, could cause quarter-size hail and wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour.
Another severe thunderstorm warning was also issued in northwestern DuPage County until 6:30 p.m.
That storm could contain wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour, officials say.
6:03 p.m.: Kane County Warning Canceled, Tornado Watch Canceled in DeKalb County
The National Weather Service has canceled an ongoing severe thunderstorm warning for Kane County, but it does remain in effect until 6:30 p.m. in McHenry, Lake and Cook counties.
Meanwhile, a tornado watch remains in effect for most of the area, but with storms not developing behind an initial line of thunderstorms, DeKalb County is no longer included on that list, per NWS officials.
5:54 p.m.: Ping Pong Ball-Size Hail Reported Near Elgin
Residents in several counties are being urged to use caution as ping pong ball-size hail is apparently being reported near suburban Elgin.
That report comes from a line of storms that led to a severe thunderstorm warning in McHenry, Lake, Kane and Cook counties.
Residents are urged to seek shelter away from windows, with the storms moving through the area at 65 miles per hour.
5:40 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued in McHenry, Lake, Kane and Cook Counties
A wide-ranging severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of four counties in northeastern Illinois, with wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour and quarter-size hail possible.
All of Lake and McHenry counties are impacted by the warning, along with northern Kane County and northwestern Cook County, the National Weather Service says.
Waukegan, Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Crystal Lake, Hanover Park, Northbrook and North Chicago are all potentially impacted by the storm, which is moving toward the northeast at 65 miles per hour.
5:39 p.m.: Warning Canceled for Northern LaSalle County
A severe thunderstorm warning in northern LaSalle County that had been scheduled to expire at 6 p.m. was canceled after the storm moved out of the area.
Another warning remains in effect in southeastern LaSalle County until 6:15 p.m.
5:36 p.m.: Warning Canceled for McHenry County
A severe thunderstorm warning for northern McHenry County has been canceled after the storm that triggered it weakened below severe limits.
The storm is also moving out of the warned area, but officials say that the storm has weakened as it continues to the northeast, leading them to cancel the warning about 25 minutes prior to its expiration time.
Other warnings do remain in effect in DeKalb and Kane counties, as well as both northern and southern LaSalle County.
5:23 p.m.: Tarp on Infield Ahead of Cubs' Game vs. Dodgers
The Cubs and Dodgers are set to take the field at 6:40 p.m. on the North Side, but the tarp has been put on the field by the grounds crew, putting the start time in doubt:
5:21 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued in LaSalle County
While northern LaSalle County is already under a severe thunderstorm warning, another one has been issued for the southeastern portion of the county.
That warning, which also includes northwestern Livingston County, will remain in effect until 6:15 p.m.
The storm, located near Roanoke, is moving northeast at 50 miles per hour. It could produce wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour, along with ping pong ball-size hail.
5:14 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued in DeKalb, Kane Counties
A new severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for northern DeKalb County and all of Kane County until 6 p.m.
The storms, located near Hinckley, are moving to the northeast at 60 miles per hour.
Storms could produce wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour and half dollar-size hail, officials say.
5:10 p.m.: Storms to Impact Chicago Area in Coming Hours
According to the latest forecast models, storms are firing near the Interstate 39 corridor, and will continue moving to the northeast across the Chicago area in the coming hours.
By 6 p.m., the storms are expected to arrive in Kendall, Grundy and Will counties, and by 7 p.m., the city of Chicago could begin to see storms arrive, as can eastern Will County, all of Lake County, and Kankakee County.
5:06 p.m.: Nickel-Size Hail Reported in Cook County
Thunderstorms racing out ahead of another line of severe storms are already producing hail in the Cook County area, according to the National Weather Service.
Officials reported nickel-size hail, just over 0.75 inches in diameter, in Des Plaines on Thursday afternoon.
Other storms impacting the western suburbs could be producing hail that’s a half-dollar size in diameter, or 1.25 inches.
A wind gust of 51 miles per hour was recently observed in Dixon, located in Lee County.
5:04 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued in McHenry County
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for northern McHenry County, as well as eastern Winnebago County and all of Boone County until 6 p.m.
According to the National Weather Service, this storm cell is intensifying as it approaches the area, with wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour and quarter-size hail possible.
Rockford, Machesney Park, Spring Grove and Hebron could all be in the path of the storm.
5:01 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued in DeKalb, LaSalle Counties
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for northern LaSalle and southern DeKalb counties until 6 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Half dollar-size hail and wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour could impact an area that includes LaSalle, Somonauk, Sublette, Compton and Troy Grove.
