The National Weather Service issued a series of severe thunderstorm watches and warnings for the Chicago area during the Wednesday morning commute, as gusty winds and frequent lightning impacted the region.
By 8 a.m. much of the warnings had moved out of the Chicago area, though a severe thunderstorm watch remained in effect for many and parts of northwest Indiana were still under a tornado watch.
A severe thunderstorm warning also remained in effect until 9:45 a.m. for LaPorte, Newton and Jasper counties in northwest Indiana. The National Weather Service warned of the potential for a "brief tornado" in connection with storms moving through Newton and Jasper counties.
An earlier tornado warning in DeKalb County was allowed to expire, as were severe thunderstorm warnings in several other counties, including LaSalle and Kendall.
Several areas could still see strong thunderstorms through the late morning hours, but after the cold front clears the area, temperatures are expected to drop quickly, with wind gusts in excess of 40 miles per hour possible in some locations.
A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect across an area that includes Lake, Kane, DuPage, Cook, Kendall, Grundy, Will, and Kankakee counties in Illinois, and also includes Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper counties in Indiana, and will run through 11 a.m. A tornado watch is also in effect in LaPorte County in northwest Indiana until 3 p.m. CT.
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Even after the storms pass later in the morning, a wind advisory will be in effect until 4 p.m.,. with wind gusts in excess of 40 miles per hour possible after the front finally clears the region.
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