Severe Weather Alert Grips Chicago Metropolitan Area

The Chicago area experienced the arrival of severe thunderstorms early Tuesday morning. By approximately 9:30 a.m., several locations were already contending with strong to severe storm activity.

The primary hazards associated with these storms include the potential for large hail and damaging wind gusts. These threats are expected to intensify late in the afternoon and into the evening as the main weather front traverses the region.

Airport Operations Affected by Storms

The turbulent weather caused immediate disruptions at local airports. A ground stop was implemented at Midway Airport, scheduled to remain in effect until 11:30 a.m. due to the ongoing thunderstorms.

Additionally, an earlier ground stop that had been issued for O'Hare Airport has since concluded. Officials noted a low overall risk for tornadoes across the affected zone.

Watch and Advisory Details

A formal severe thunderstorm watch remains active for the region, set to expire at 5 p.m. This alert covers numerous Illinois counties, including La Salle, Kankakee, Kane, Grundy, Will, Cook, DuPage, and Kendall.

The watch also extends into Indiana, encompassing Lake, Porter, Jasper, La Porte, and Newton counties. Furthermore, a separate flood advisory is currently active until 1:30 p.m. for Cook and Will counties in Illinois, as well as Lake County in Indiana.

Storm Intensity and Temperature Shift

Evidence of the storm's severity was noted earlier, with reports of golfball-sized hail observed in Joliet around 9:30 a.m. Conditions leading up to the storms were warm and humid, with high temperatures expected to reach the upper 70s and 80s.

Following the passage of the cold front later Tuesday night, showers and storms will shift southward, clearing the region. This transition is forecast to bring a significant cooldown, with morning lows Wednesday dropping into the 30s and 40s.