Chicago weather: Severe storms Wednesday after tornadoes hit Tuesday; flooding possible Thursday

Wednesday, August 12, 2026
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago area was under an AccuWeather Alert on Wednesday after being slammed with more severe weather earlier in the week, and there is another AccuWeather Alert for storms and possible flooding Thursday.

The latest round of storms Wednesday morning spurred a Tornado Warning in LaSalle County and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for much of the area. Those have since expired.

Ground stops at Midway and O'Hare airports have also been lifted. Delays at O'Hare were about one hour, and delays at Midway were about 30 minutes. Over 60 flights have been canceled at O'Hare.



Most of the Chicago area was under a Level 1 risk for severe weather Wednesday morning into the afternoon. However, the south and southwest suburbs were under a Level 2.



The timing for the storms was from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Strong winds were the main threat, again.



SEE ALSO | Track power outages in your area with the ABC7 Chicago Power Outage Tracker

At least five tornadoes hit the south suburbs and northwest Indiana Tuesday morning as a rare derecho swept across the area.

This year, the Chicago area has seen 70 tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service, including Tuesday's storms.



More rain is expected Thursday. Another round of showers and thunderstorms are expected in the afternoon and evening, with flooding being the main concern.

There will also be a storm chance Friday, especially in the morning into the afternoon. The area is under a Level 1 risk Friday.

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