Chicago police have canceled the 50th Annual Chicago Pride Parade as thunderstorms move across the area.
About 2:35 p.m., the police department said they were stopping the parade due to “inclement weather.” The Chicago Office of Emergency Management is advising parade-goers to seek shelter immediately. Just after 3 p.m., the department announced the cancellation.
The Chicago Pride Parade has been cancelled due to inclement weather.
— Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) June 30, 2019
Several parade floats were held in anticipation of the storms before they could take off on their route, the OEMC said.
The parade, which kicked off at noon from Montrose Avenue and Broadway, had previously been planned to go on “rain or shine,” according to the parade’s official website.
A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect until 3:30 p.m. for Chicago and the surrounding area, including Cook, Will, Kankakee and DuPage counties, the weather service said. The area remains under a a severe thunderstorm watch until 6 p.m., as do over 30 neighboring counties in Illinois and northern Wisconsin.
A storm system moving southeast from Wisconsin may bring heavy rains, frequent lightning, wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour and hail the size of quarters, the weather service said.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of Illinois and Wisconsin until 6 PM CDT pic.twitter.com/aXP5NKQQNR
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) June 30, 2019
