Bursts of thundery rainfall to flare along stalled front

Rain won’t be far from Chicago at any point in the coming seven days. Though rain won’t fall continuously—rainfree periods are a good bet in the coming week—with a nearly stationary warm front over NE Illinois, the atmospheric set-up threatens to build on March’s 1"+ rainfall surplus. Computer rainfall projections Thursday suggests totals in the coming week are likely to average 1.61" while two week totals may approach or locally exceed 3". Thundery downpours redeveloped late Thursday over central and northern Illinois beneath clouds which towered up to 40,000 ft. These storms threatened southern sections of the metro area with the most concentrated and heaviest rainfall overnight. Predawn t-storms Thursday pounded some areas with hail. Hailstones 1/2" in diameter pelted Midway Airport while 1" hail occurred in Joliet and Plainfield. Golfball-size hail dented cars in NW suburban Streamwood. --By Tom Skilling, WGN-TV Chief Meteorologist