The Chicago area saw damaging wind gusts and heavy rain on Wednesday, but the region will have to deal with one more round of severe weather this week.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, the entire Chicago area will be at an “enhanced risk” of severe weather on Thursday, the third of five levels used by the SPC to determine the likelihood of damaging storms.
All severe weather threats will be on the table, especially tornadoes and gusty straight-line winds, according to forecast models.
Before that weather arrives, Thursday morning could see a few spotty showers or even an isolated thunderstorm, but the main headline in the afternoon will be the heat and humidity, with high temperatures once again rising into the low-90s and dewpoints rising into the 60s and 70s.
As the evening approaches, a cold front is expected to begin pushing toward the Chicago area, and that could fuel the formation of showers and thunderstorms, some of which could end up being severe, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.
Severe storms left damage across the Chicago suburbs on Wednesday, including partially peeled off the roof of an apartment building. Randy Gyllenhaal reports.
Gusty winds and heavy rain are the main threats with the storms, but a chance of tornadoes cannot be ruled out, and there is also a chance of hail as those storms push through the area after 5 p.m. and into the evening.
Ultimately those storms are expected to clear out of the region by midnight, and behind the cold front temperatures will drop down into the 60s overnight, paving the way for a more pleasant day on Friday, with high temperatures in the low-80s under mostly sunny skies.
Another round of showers and storms could roll through on Saturday, but Sunday will once again be pleasant, with highs expected in the mid-to-upper 70s.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team throughout the day Thursday for the latest updates on the potential for severe weather, and be sure to download the NBC Chicago app for real-time weather alerts sent directly to your phone.
