This browser does not support the Video element.
CHICAGO - Severe weather is again possible Wednesday evening after the Chicago area saw intense thunderstorms yesterday.
Follow along below for live updates as storms develop and move through the region.
Live severe weather updates
- 11 p.m.: The Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued until midnight for the Chicago area has been canceled.
- 9:54 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Cook County until 10:45 p.m. Winds reaching up to 60 mph are possible.
- 9:40 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Kane, DuPage and Will Counties until 10:45 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
- A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Illinois and Wisconsin until 12 AM CDT. The watch includes possible tornadoes, ping pong-sized hail, and up to 70 MPH winds.
- 8:20 p.m.: Severe Thunderstorm Warning including Rockford IL, Loves Park IL and Machesney Park IL until 9:00 PM CDT
- 8:28 p.m.: Flash Flood Warning including Rockford IL, Belvidere IL and Loves Park IL until 2:30 AM CDT
What to know:
Over 130 million people across more than 12 states are bracing for another round of severe weather beginning Wednesday afternoon. This follows Tuesday's storms when radar-confirmed tornadoes touched down in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Wednesday's threat has shifted slightly east, but a broad Level 2 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms covers a corridor including parts of North Texas, the Southern Plains, the Midwest and the Ohio Valley, according to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC).
Wednesday severe weather threat (FOX Weather)
A spring severe weather pattern has taken hold across much of the country, with Wednesday's atmospheric setup resembling Tuesday's conditions.
Rounds of storms will once again develop over Iowa beginning Wednesday afternoon and charge east along a stalled front draped over southern Wisconsin and Michigan.
Waukesha County, Wisconsin was one of the areas hardest hit by Tuesday's storms.
A tornado caused significant damage to buildings in Sussex, and large baseball-sized hail pelted Oconomowoc.
Baseball-sized hail in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, Tuesday. (Eric Owens / FOX Weather)
FOX6 Milwaukee staff also had to shelter-in-place as a tornado-warned storm moved through the metro area Tuesday night. Three-inch hail was reported by the National Weather Service in Madison, Wisconsin.
Wednesday: Severe weather threat reloads across Midwest, Plains
On Wednesday, supercell thunderstorms could begin to form across Missouri, Iowa, and western Illinois, with large hail being the main hazard. Flash flooding is once again possible across this region as storms repeatedly move over the same areas.
Atmospheric instability is increasing across the Heartland ahead of a cold front that will spark severe thunderstorms this afternoon.
Chicagoland severe weather outlook
The SPC has placed the Chicago area, including northwest Indiana, under a slight risk for severe weather, meaning isolated storms could bring damaging winds, large hail and torrential downpours, which could cause flash flooding, especially in areas already impacted by heavy rain.
Hail forecast (FOX Weather)
A flood watch is in effect until 1 a.m. Thursday. Rainfall rates may reach 1 to 2 inches per hour during passing storms.
"Creeks and streams may rise out of their banks. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Roads and streets may be flooded," according to Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
Primetime for any stronger thunderstorms will be roughly 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
What's next:
Thursday will likely feature a few showers early in the day followed by mostly cloudy skies and cooler temperatures. Highs might tag 70°, but most of the day should be in the 60s with it turning noticeably cooler along the lake during the afternoon.
Thursday night and most of Friday will be dry and Friday will end up being warmer with highs moving back into the 70s at least, with a chance of hitting 80. At night, a strong cold front arrives, and that could spark strong to severe thunderstorms again with the rain ending on Saturday morning.
The rest of Saturday will be mostly cloudy and cooler with highs in the 60s with even colder temperatures on the way at night and Sunday.
There will be a risk of frost away from the city on Saturday night and Sunday night. And despite a good deal of sunshine on Sunday, high temperatures may struggle to hit 50°.
On Monday, temperatures will rebound somewhat, approaching 60° with a high of 70° likely on Tuesday.
The Source: The information in this forecast came from the Storm Prediction Center, the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications, FOX Weather and FOX Chicago's Mike Caplan.