Showers and thunderstorms moved into the Chicago area late Wednesday and into Thursday morning.
Gusty winds, which hammered the area throughout the day Wednesday, continued through the evening hours. Some gusts in excess of 45 miles per hour have been recorded, including gusts of 47 miles per hour at O’Hare and Midway in Chicago.
In the late evening and into the morning, shows began moving through the region, and thunderstorms developed as well, with the National Weather Service warning that wind gusts could be in excess of 50 mph and small hail was possible.
Thunderstorms will remain possible in the morning hours, especially south of Interstate 88. Areas south of Interstate 80 could see thunderstorms even into the afternoon, as a squall line is expected to fire up during the day.
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Locally heavy rainfall is expected throughout the region, especially in areas to the south. Localized flooding is possible depending on where the storms develop, according to forecasters.
After that weather system moves through the region, winds will slowly begin to shift direction, eventually blowing from Lake Michigan. That will cause temperatures to fall considerably heading into the weekend, with high temps dropping back into the 40s after being up near 70 degrees for several days.
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