CHICAGO – Severe Thunderstorm Warnings have been issued for:
- Kendall, Grundy, western Kankakee, western Will counties until 12:30 a.m.
- Cook County, DuPage and Lake (IL) counties until 1 a.m.
- Kankakee and Will Counties until 1:15 a.m.
Wind gusts reaching 70 miles per hour are possible and could cause damage to homes, roofs, and more.
Severe storms located along a line from Hanover to Castleton are moving northeast at 40 miles per hour.
9:30 p.m. – Line of Storms Nearing Chicago Area
The line of strong storms is getting closer to the Chicago area. The storm system is still set to arrive around 10 p.m. or 11 p.m.
High winds remain the primary concern for the incoming storms, reaching between 55 and 60 miles per hour. The strong winds will continue on Saturday.
Chicagoland is now under a level 3 severe weather threat, up from level 2 just a day earlier, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
7:37 p.m. – Storms Will Arrive Later Than Expected
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for all of our NE Illinois counties until 2 a.m. Saturday.
The timing of storms has shifted a little later. It now looks like the line will move into our far western and southwestern counties around 10 or 11 p.m.
Damaging wind gusts remain the primary concern. Winds may gust as high as 70-75 mph, which is equivalent to hurricane-force winds.
Damage to structures and trees will be possible with winds this high. In addition to high winds, isolated tornadoes still appear a possibility.
Straight-line winds in excess of 70 mph are capable of producing damage as severe as an EF-0 or EF-1 tornado.
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7 p.m. – Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued from 6:55 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday for the following counties: Will County, DeKalb County, Lake County, Kankakee County, LaSalle County, McHenry County, Kendall County, Kane County, DuPage County, Grundy County, Cook County, according to the National Weather Service.
Storms are still roughly three to four hours away from the Chicago-area.
The NWS urges residents to stay vigilant and keep up to date with the latest weather conditions. Click here for the latest weather updates from FOX 32.
Severe Weather Threat Tonight
Several weather alerts are in effect Friday night due to strong winds and elevated fire risks.
- Wind Advisory: In effect this afternoon through tonight, with gusts reaching 40-50 mph.
- Fire Weather Warning: Active this afternoon into the evening due to dry conditions and gusty winds.
- High Wind Watch: In place for Saturday morning through mid-afternoon, with potential gusts of 50-60 mph.Non-thunderstorm winds could reach 20-25 mph, with gusts up to 40-50 mph later today, prompting a wind advisory. These strong winds, combined with dry conditions, have also led to a fire weather warning in Chicagoland. Fires can spread rapidly under these conditions, so residents are urged to avoid outdoor burning through the evening.
A line of thunderstorms is expected to move through the area between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m. Chicagoland remains under a level 3 to level 4 out of 5 severe weather threat, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
With storms arriving late, be sure to have multiple ways to receive weather alerts in case warnings are issued while you’re asleep.
