A severe thunderstorm watch was issued Tuesday for much of the Chicago area after the city recorded summer-like temperatures for the first time this year, the weather service said.
The watch is in effect until 11 p.m., and storms are expected to effect large swaths of northern Illinois and parts of northwest Indiana, according to the National Weather Service.
The concentration of strong-to-severe storms is expected begin near the Wisconsin border and move southeast into the northern and western suburbs, the weather service said.
Storms continue to move slightly south of due east near the WI/IL border. These are already near severe limits & the atmosphere is favorable to continue near that, along with possibly see new scattered storms develop. Main threats are large hail and locally gusty winds. #ILwx pic.twitter.com/nqdG99epBb
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 7, 2020
Some areas could see hail the size of tennis balls and wind gusts up to 65 mph, the weather service said. A couple of tornadoes are also possible.
The possibility of severe weather comes after temperatures at O’Hare reached 80 degrees for the first time in 2020, the weather service said. The city usually sees temps that high starting April 20.
We are sure many windows were open today! 80° has been reached in Chicago for the first time in 2020.
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) April 7, 2020
How does that compare to normal? About two weeks ahead of schedule. Only 1 of the past 7 years has had 80 reached earlier than today (2017 - March 24). #ILwx #INwx pic.twitter.com/cPYuUNt5Pc
