Chicago weather forecast: Severe storms leave damage across parts of area

Record-high temperatures set at O'Hare, Midway; Beyoncé concert start time delayed at Soldier Field

ByEvelyn Holmes, Eric Horng, and ABC7 Chicago Digital Team

Friday, May 16, 2025

Severe storms leave damage across parts of Chicago area

The Chicago weather forecast Thursday included a Tornado Watch, a severe storm threat, a risk of large hail, high winds, and record-high temperatures.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- There was a threat of storms Thursday night in the Chicago area. There were also record-high temperatures.

A Tornado Watch and Severe Thunderstorm Warning were in effect for multiple counties in Illinois and northwest Indiana, but they have since expired.

Public works crews in the city and suburbs were busy Thursday night cleaning up fallen trees.

ABC7 came upon a scene in Cicero where there was significant tree damage. Residents there and elsewhere say the extreme conditions caught them by surprise.

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A ground stop was issued at O'Hare Airport due to thunderstorms, the FAA said. The stop was lifted, but there was a ground delay of about 2 hours expected to last until 11 p.m. Thursday.

As of 6 p.m., there were delays of about 20 minutes and there 61 cancelations at O'Hare, data showed. There were delays of about 29 minutes and no cancelations at Midway.

ComEd is working to restore power for more than 73,000 customers impacted by the storms, the company said.

The storm unleashed hail in various parts of the area, including in Lombard and in north suburban Waukegan.

In Dekalb County, ominous clouds and fierce winds continued to sweep east.

The extreme weather also toppled trees on Chicago's Northwest Side and on the city's Southwest Side, as well as farther north in the Round Lake area where firefighters were busy.

While there was a threat of severe storms Thursday in the Chicago area, there were also record-high temperatures in the 90s.

The Chicago area was under a Level 3 threat of severe weather Thursday

The worst of the fast-moving storms moved through between 4 and 8 p.m., ABC7 Chicago meteorologists said.

Hail could be the size of baseballs if storms reach their full potential. There is also be a high wind threat with any storm.

The previous record high for May 15 was 91 degrees, but temperatures reached 95 at Midway Airport and 93 at O'Hare Airport on Thursday.

Other parts of the area were also expected to see 92. It was also humid.

Beyoncé's "COWBOY CARTER TOUR" was set to take the stage at Soldier Field at 7 p.m. Thursday, but it was delayed to at least 9 p.m. due to the severe weather threat, a Soldier Field spokesperson said.