The storms prompted multiple watches and warnings, which have since expired.
Wednesday was very hot and humid, with highs in the low 90s.
Much of the area was under a Level 2 risk for severe weather; northwest Indiana and some south suburbs were under a Level 1 risk.
High winds looked to be the biggest concern, but an isolated tornado was a possibility. Heavy rain can also cause concern for some localized flooding.
Ground stops at O'Hare and Midway have been lifted. O'Hare had over 100 cancellations and delays of about an hour, and Midway had seven cancellations and delays of about 30 minutes.
As of about 4 p.m., nearly 14,000 ComEd customers were without power.
In Chicago's University Village, a tree had fallen on a car.
Trees and wires were also reported down in Aurora.
There were 60 to 70 mph wind gusts in some places, and there were multiple tornadoes reported in Wisconsin.
Sunlight showed a toppled tree that was uprooted from the Haymarket House in Uptown.
"I heard the crash, and I looked out the window," Uptown resident Demetrius Sajous-Brady said.
The immense weight of it smashed a CTA bus shelter at the stop on Clarendon and Buena avenues.
"In this neighborhood, there are a lot of older trees, and so something similar to this happened in about 2020," Demetrius Sajous-Brady said.
In nearby Edgewater, a lone car on the block was also smashed by a fallen tree. Its driver was seen grabbing some belongings from the wreckage.
The damage was swift, after severe storms blew through the Chicago area Wednesday, scattering trees and branches across 15th and Racine.
Beyond the city limits, in west suburban Wheaton, an emergency tornado siren was blown to the ground.
In Glen Ellyn, crews also worked to clear out storm debris.
In Morton Grove, a tree from a man's backyard toppled on power lines, knocking out electricity for many.
There is also a chance of storms Thursday.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected this weekend, with Saturday being the day with higher rain chances.
There is an Air Quality Alert for the rest of Wednesday.