Storms are rolling through the Chicago area this morning, bringing some welcome relief from the heat but also spawning flash flood warnings and power outages.
The first storms hit around 6:30 a.m. in the north suburbs, dumping two to three inches of rain already in Lake and McHenry counties, with some flooding and road closures reported in Wadsworth, Gurnee and Beach Park.
A second wave, producing heavy downpours, was moving through the entire Chicago area at 10 a.m. as a flash flood warning was issued for both Lake and McHenry counties. Winds gusts of 50 mph were reported at Midway and on the north side of Chicago.
At 8 a.m., Commonwealth Edison reported 18,000 homes and businesses without power because of the fast-moving storms. That includes 9,000 in Chicago, with half of those in the northern part of the city, and 5,000 in the western service area, which goes out to the Mississippi.
“These are fast-moving storms with lots of rain,” said Com Ed spokesman Bennie Currie.
The day began with much more tolerable temperatures and humidity. The Chicago Weather Center reports that it feels anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees cooler this morning as the heat index ranged from 70 to 80 degrees compared to the 90-degree heat index Thursday morning.
Still, a heat advisory is in effect until 10 p.m. for Cook and DuPage counties. And an excessive heat watch covering the same area will go into effect this evening through Sunday evening.
The National Weather Service said a weak front setting itself up across northern Illinoiswill retreat northward on Saturday, allowing the heat and humidity to spread north across northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana.
Much of the region should see heat index values climb to 100 to 105 degrees. The sole exception may be far northeastern Illinois, where lake breezes may cool things a little.
On Thursday, temperatures hit 100 for a second straight day at Midway Airport. The last time that happened was 16 years ago during the deadly 1995 heat wave.
Sets of consecutive 100s aren't common here. A check of Chicago's 83-year weather record at Midway reveals back-to-back 100s have occurred in only 11 of the past 83 years, according to WGN TV meteorologist Tom Skilling.
Readings of 100 or higher occurred Thursday at nearly two dozen sites across northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, including Highland, Ind. (103), Lansing (102), Valparaiso, Ind. (101) Burr Ridge (101), East Chicago (101) Frankfort (101), Elk Grove Village (101), Westchester (101), Oak Lawn (101), Blue Island (101), Flossmoor (101), Schererville, Ind. (100) and Chicago's lakefront (100). The area's highest heat index was 114 in the Kankakee area.
Here's the day-by-day forecast through the weekend and beyond:
Today: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 96. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east.
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 79. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southwest.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 98. South southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
Saturday night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 79. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Sunday night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 82.
Monday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 69.
Tuesday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
The first storms hit around 6:30 a.m. in the north suburbs, dumping two to three inches of rain already in Lake and McHenry counties, with some flooding and road closures reported in Wadsworth, Gurnee and Beach Park.
A second wave, producing heavy downpours, was moving through the entire Chicago area at 10 a.m. as a flash flood warning was issued for both Lake and McHenry counties. Winds gusts of 50 mph were reported at Midway and on the north side of Chicago.
At 8 a.m., Commonwealth Edison reported 18,000 homes and businesses without power because of the fast-moving storms. That includes 9,000 in Chicago, with half of those in the northern part of the city, and 5,000 in the western service area, which goes out to the Mississippi.
The day began with much more tolerable temperatures and humidity. The Chicago Weather Center reports that it feels anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees cooler this morning as the heat index ranged from 70 to 80 degrees compared to the 90-degree heat index Thursday morning.
Still, a heat advisory is in effect until 10 p.m. for Cook and DuPage counties. And an excessive heat watch covering the same area will go into effect this evening through Sunday evening.
The National Weather Service said a weak front setting itself up across northern Illinoiswill retreat northward on Saturday, allowing the heat and humidity to spread north across northern Illinois and northwestern Indiana.
Much of the region should see heat index values climb to 100 to 105 degrees. The sole exception may be far northeastern Illinois, where lake breezes may cool things a little.
On Thursday, temperatures hit 100 for a second straight day at Midway Airport. The last time that happened was 16 years ago during the deadly 1995 heat wave.
Sets of consecutive 100s aren't common here. A check of Chicago's 83-year weather record at Midway reveals back-to-back 100s have occurred in only 11 of the past 83 years, according to WGN TV meteorologist Tom Skilling.
Readings of 100 or higher occurred Thursday at nearly two dozen sites across northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, including Highland, Ind. (103), Lansing (102), Valparaiso, Ind. (101) Burr Ridge (101), East Chicago (101) Frankfort (101), Elk Grove Village (101), Westchester (101), Oak Lawn (101), Blue Island (101), Flossmoor (101), Schererville, Ind. (100) and Chicago's lakefront (100). The area's highest heat index was 114 in the Kankakee area.
Here's the day-by-day forecast through the weekend and beyond:
Today: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 96. South southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east.
Tonight: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 79. East wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south southwest.
Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Heat index values as high as 98. South southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
Saturday night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 79. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
Sunday: A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Southwest wind between 5 and 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
Sunday night: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 70.
Monday: Sunny, with a high near 82.
Monday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 69.
Tuesday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.
Tuesday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
