Dust storm sweeps over Chicagoland, severe weather possible

CHICAGO - We’re tracking the latest watches, warnings, damage reports and power outages as storms move across the Chicago area. All times are Central.

Live Updates

7:58 p.m. - Ground Stop at O'Hare Airport 

A ground stop has been issued at O'Hare International Airport due to thunderstorms until 8:45 p.m. 

7:38 p.m. - Severe Thunderstorm Watch Canceled 

• The Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued for Grundy, Kankakee, Newton and Jasper Counties has been canceled. Scattered, non-severe storms are still moving through parts of Chicagoland.

6:24 p.m. - Dust Storm Warning In Effect 

• A Dust Storm Warning has been issued until at least 8:30 p.m. tonight for the following counties: Cook, DuPage, Kane, DeKalb. The warning is also in effect until 7:30 p.m. for LaSalle, Grundy, Kendall, Will, Kankakee, Lake, Porter, Newton and Jasper Counties until 7:30 p.m.
• Visibilities will drop to near-zero in the dust storm. At 6:22 p.m., a wall of dust was seen along a line that extended from near Somonauk, Ill. to near Dyer, Ind.
• RELATED: Chicago-area dust storm warning in effect: High winds, dry soil create hazardous travel

6 p.m. - Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued

• A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued until 11 p.m. for Grundy, Kankakee, Newton and Jasper Counties until 11 p.m.

The Chicago area is bracing for another round of severe storms Friday afternoon and evening — less than 24 hours after powerful storms ripped across the region, knocking out power to more than 150,000 ComEd customers and producing wind gusts above 60 mph and hail as large as two inches in diameter.\

What we know:

Forecasters say Friday’s setup could produce similar or even stronger impacts.

The National Weather Service says the greatest storm threat will come between 4 and 10 p.m., especially in areas east of I-55. The most significant risks include damaging wind gusts that could top 70 mph and large hail.

There is also a possibility for isolated tornadoes — some potentially strong — though the highest tornado risk appears to be focused farther south in parts of southern Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky.

While temperatures won’t hit Thursday’s mid-90s record levels, Friday will still be warm and windy with highs in the 80s and gusts up to 45 mph. Humidity levels will remain very low, creating conditions that could also contribute to the rapid spread of fires, especially in areas that saw little rain last night.

The backstory:

Thursday night’s storms arrived with intense lightning, booming thunder and powerful winds that uprooted trees, snapped utility poles, and caused significant damage across parts of Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan.

As of Friday morning, more than 50,000 customers in the ComEd service area were still without electricity. Hard-hit communities include Chicago, Joliet and Crestwood.

In nearby states, the storm's reach extended into Michigan and Indiana, with widespread damage and additional outages reported.

The National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings during the evening and overnight hours, with confirmed touchdowns in central Wisconsin. Damage surveys were underway Friday in parts of Michigan.

In Michigan, some wind gusts exceeded 75 mph, and power outages affected more than 200,000 customers at the peak.

In Indiana and Michigan alone, more than 30,000 remained without power Friday morning. The weather also disrupted events — including a Beyoncé concert at Soldier Field, which was delayed roughly two hours Thursday night due to the severe threat.

The cold front that triggered Thursday’s storms has shifted east, but another unstable air mass has moved in behind it, prompting today’s renewed severe risk.

Future Forecast

What's next:

Friday’s threat is expected to taper off late in the evening as a cold front moves through, ushering in calmer conditions for the weekend. 
Saturday will start mostly cloudy but eventually become partly sunny with highs in the upper 60s. Sunday is expected to be a few degrees cooler with more sunshine.

Rain chances return Monday and Tuesday, with no severe weather expected at this time.

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