Flash flood warning in effect until Sunday

CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) - A flash flood warning is in effect until Sunday morning as heavy rains and thunderstorms are expected to continue throughout Saturday in the Chicago area.

The flash flood warning will affect the Chicago area, as well as Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Boone, DeKalb, La Salle, Ogle and Winnebago counties, according to the National Weather Service. The warning will remain in effect until 4 a.m. Sunday.

Showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue pounding the area throughout the morning and afternoon Saturday, with an 80 percent chance of precipitation and winds reaching between 5 and 10 mph, the weather service said. Saturday’s high temperature is forecast at 71 degrees with a low of 57 degrees in the evening hours.

Showers are expected to continue with a possibility of thunderstorms throughout the evening, when the chance of precipitation reaches 90 percent and wind gusts could reach up to 25 mph, the weather service said.

Temperatures will cool down Sunday as the wet conditions move through the area in the morning hours, the weather service said. A twenty percent chance of rainfall is forecast before 10 a.m. with a high temperature of 57 degrees and wind gusts up to 40 mph. On Sunday night, conditions are expected to clear up with a low temperature of 44 degrees and wind gusts as high as 20 mph.