Severe storms, tornado risk in play for Chicago area Wednesday – NBC Chicago

After a day that saw temperatures in the 90s and high humidity levels, Wednesday could bring the threat of severe weather and even tornadoes to the Chicago area.

The first hints of that weather will arrive in the area overnight, as scattered showers and thunderstorms begin to push toward the region, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.

The Storm Prediction Center has the Chicago area at a marginal risk of severe weather, especially in areas west of Interstate 57, including McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, LaSalle, Kendall and Grundy counties.

As the overnight hours progress and the area gets closer to daybreak, more showers and storms could fire, with some residents greeted by rain and even some rumbles of thunder as they wake up for the work day Wednesday.

As the day moves along, the threat of severe weather will ratchet up, with most of the Chicago area at a “slight” risk of severe weather, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour could occur, along with some hail. There is also a chance of tornado development with the storms due to shear in the atmosphere, so residents are being advised to keep their guard up as the afternoon progresses.

Parts of Indiana, including Newton, Jasper and LaPorte counties, are at an even higher “enhanced” risk of severe storms Wednesday, with those threats emerging late in the afternoon and even into the early evening hours, according to forecast models.

After the storms move through, scattered showers could persist into Thursday morning before clearing out. An outside chance exists of some pop-up thunderstorms during the afternoon Thursday, though most of the severe weather threat is focused on parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.

Still, parts of northern Illinois, including McHenry, Lake, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage and Cook counties, are at a marginal risk of severe weather Thursday, according to the SPC.

From there, searing heat will make its return to the area, and it’s going to stick around for several days. Highs over the weekend could soar into the mid-to-upper 90s, and the humidity could push heat indices into the 100s across the Chicago area, according to forecast models.

That heat is going to stick around through at least Monday, with low temperatures only dropping into the mid-to-upper 70s, providing scant relief for those who don’t have access to air conditioning.

As a result, the city of Chicago will activate its emergency cooling centers over the weekend, with a full list available on the OEMC website.

Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team Wednesday for the latest weather developments, and download the NBC Chicago app to get real-time weather alerts sent directly to your phone.