Chicago weather: Severe storms bring high winds, hail to areas west and north of city | Radar
CHICAGO (WLS) -- An AccuWeather Alert has been issued for Monday evening due to building storm chances with an incoming cold front.
Storms brought high winds and hail to different counties west and north of the city on Monday afternoon, and it is expected to continue through the night with more strong storms on the way.
DuPage County was hit with downpours on Monday evening as these storms make their way across the Chicago area.
Heavy rain was also seen in Lake County, Illinois while drivers traveling through Lindhurst on Monday night saw lightning and dealt with wet roads.
In Marengo, lightning hit several trees and caused damage to a home. The people living there said they heard a large boom, lost power and found a hole in their basement wall.
Thankfully, no one was hurt there.
Chicago-area counties in Illinois and Wisconsin are under a marginal or low risk of severe storms Monday night, ABC7 Chicago meteorologist Tracy Butler said.
Large hail is the biggest threat, but there is a risk of high winds and heavy rain and a low tornado threat, Butler said. The area is under a Level 1 risk, with a 2% tornado risk.
Storms popped up in the afternoon in northwest Illinois and Wisconsin, but more are likely between 7 p.m. and midnight, she and ABC7 Chicago meteorologist Larry Mowry said. Severe weather could potentially impact the Tuesday morning commute for anyone getting an early start.
A chief deputy for the Stephenson County Sheriff's Office, which is located in northwest Illinois, said there was a report of a cloud with rotation about 5 to 7 miles west of Freeport, Illinois just after 2 p.m. There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.
Monday will be the warmest day of the week. Temperatures the rest of the week will still be above average, though.
Showers are expected to linger into Tuesday morning.
March is Severe Weather Preparedness Month.
"It is so important to have a plan and be prepared to take action when the weather turns life threatening near your location," said Ed Shimon, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln, Illinois. "Seconds save lives as we saw with the EF3 tornadoes that impacted Robinson and Lewiston last year. Practice your plan so you can act immediately to save your life when needed."
ABC7 Chicago meteorologist Greg Dutra said getting warnings in a timely manner is most important.
Weather radios can be even better than a cell phone, he said.
If there's a severe thunderstorm or tornado warning, your safe place should be on the lowest level you can get to, away from windows.
If you're not in the basement, you should be under something sturdy. People have been saved by a mattress, their bathtub and all sorts of things that just took some quick thinking and prior thought, Dutra said.
Having a blanket or pillows nearby is smart. If things are going sideways, they can be used to shield yourself from flying debris.
It can also be smart to have a "go bag" in your safe place. Put a charging brick, some water, energy bars and first aid supplies in it.
Finally, your whole family may not be in the same place when severe weather strikes. It's a good idea to have a predetermined meet-up spot that is a few miles away.
Dutra said his is a local Portillo's.
Visit https://ready.illinois.gov/plan/emergencykit.html for more information.
In 2023, Illinois received two significant Presidential Disaster Declarations for severe weather and flooding that totaled over $462 million in damages, state official said in a news release.
The National Weather Service also confirmed at least 11 tornadoes touched down in Illinois and northwest Indiana last week.
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