Flood Watch in effect as power outages, cleanup efforts continue after 6 tornadoes hit NW Indiana
LaSalle, Grundy, and Kankakee counties are also under a Flood Watch, and more downpours are possible Saturday.
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Northwest Indiana residents are cleaning up from storm damage and waiting for power to come back on Friday.
The clean-up is expected to take weeks for many people. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun has declared a statewide disaster emergency. The National Guard is there helping with recovery efforts after, the National Weather Service said, six tornadoes hit northwest Indiana on Tuesday.
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ABC7 AccuWeather Meteorologist said there is a chance for some showers early Friday before the area mostly dries out for the rest of the day.
Some roads may be slick, and some crashes were reported early Friday.
A Flood Watch is in effect for LaSalle, Grundy, Kankakee, Newton, and Jasper counties until 10 a.m. Friday.
On Saturday, more downpours are possible. Much of the area is under a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe weather, with damaging wind gusts being the main concerns.
A few storms are possible for the Chicago area's most northwestern counties between 2 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday., Martinez said. The main line of storms is expected to arrive between 4 a.m. and 6 a.m. in the area's western counties. It is expected to move east quickly.
Rain is expected to end between noon and 2 p.m., and pockets of heavy rain could lead to isolated flooding. Rain is possible during the Chicago Air and Water Show, and there is also a storm chance on Sunday.
This comes as northwest Indiana is still experiencing severe power outages from those storms.
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NIPSCO expects 90% of customers will get power restored by the end of next Tuesday. Others will have to wait until next Friday. ComEd crews expect to have power back on for nearly everyone by Saturday night.
ABC7 is hearing from families who are struggling to recover from the damage that was left behind. It has been especially tough for one woman and her parents, who are now without a home.
The storms are also to blame for high bacteria levels at the Indiana Dunes. The National Park Service says people should avoid the water at Central, Porter Beach and the Portage Lakefront until further notice. Some trails at the national park are also closed because of storm damage.
Meanwhile, move-in day for some Illinois State University students turned dangerous in Normal.
Video shared with ABC7 shows heavy downpours and fierce winds at a residence hall. At one point, a big chunk of glass fell, narrowly missing people. The university had widespread power outages, but power has since been restored. Student move-ins will resume on Friday as scheduled.
