Severe Thunderstorm Watch Until 8 p.m.

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Just one day after Cook and 11 other counties issued disaster declarations because of severe weekend flooding, a new round of storms are heading into the area.

The National Weather Service predicts a 50 percent chance of rain and thunderstorms for the Chicagoland area Wednesday. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 8 p.m.

The storms are expected to produce lightning and winds with speeds topping 60 mph.

Skies should clear from north to south overnight and Thursday looks dry. The next chance for showers comes Friday into Saturday, but Sunday, at this point, looks beautiful.

More than seven inches of rain fell across the area last Friday night, covering expressways, filling viaducts, knocking out power to thousands and blocking Chicago Transit Authority rail lines.