Less cloudiness may allow readings to jump into the 80s over much of the metro area today. But this heating could again lead into thunderheads, some possibly severe, later this afternoon and evening. As the approaching cold front nears northeast Illinois, the best chance of rain may actually occur after midnight. Yesterday’s storms were widespread and developed earlier in the day than anticipated, still temperatures warmed into the 80s (even reaching 91° at Kankakee) in many areas before the extensive cloudiness cut off the sun’s warmth. With the metro area under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch, storms developed quickly. The widespread violent nature of the storms, some as high as 50,000 feet tall, was depicted by more than a dozen reports of 1-inch hail. Largest was a 1.75" stone reported at Plainfield in Will County. Heaviest wind damage occurred in the Joliet area.
-Paul Dailey WGN-TV Meteorologist
WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center staff provide daily coverage of weather in the Chicago area.
