UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm warnings have been issued for Will, Cook, Kane, DuPage, Lake and McHenry Counties through at least 1 p.m., with a tornado warning also issued for parts of DuPage, Cook and Will Counties in Illinois and Lake County and Porter Counties in Indiana until at least 1:30 p.m.
Severe thunderstorms were rumbling across the Chicago area Monday, with destructive winds, large hail, heavy downpours and tornado warnings issued.
About 11:25 a.m., a tornado was located near Lake Geneva, moving south at 30 mph, the National Weather Service said, with “ping-pong ball-sized hail.”
In Kenosha and Racine Counties, a severe thunderstorm warning and a tornado warning were issued.
“This is a destructive storm for Kenosha and Racine Counties,” the NWS said, with baseball-sized hail possible.
Iisha Scott has the latest forecast amid severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings.
“People and animals outdoors will be injured,” the NWS warned. “Expect hail damage to roofs, siding, windows and vehicles,” along with considerable tree damage.
In Illinois, severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for parts of DuPage, Will, Kane, Cook, Lake and McHenry Counties through the lunch hour, with photos and video showing heavy rain near Fox Lake.
At 11:56 a.m., a tornado warning was issued for eastern DuPage County. A tornado warning was also issued for parts of Will, DuPage and Cook Counties in Illinois and Lake County in Indiana.
“Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter,” the NWS said. “Take cover now.”
The warnings led the FAA to issue ground stops at both O’Hare and Midway airports.
Another round coming
About 6 p.m., a second round of storms could develop, also starting to the north before pushing south and into northwest Indiana. A severe thunderstorm watch was also issued for the entire Chicago area including northwest Indiana through 8 p.m.
The Storm Prediction Center placed the entire Chicago area under an “enhanced” threat of severe weather Monday, which ranks as level three of five.
“If storms occur, they could be severe, capable of destructive winds locally over 70 mph and hail the size of golf balls,” the NWS said.
Any storms that do develop could also produce “torrential” rainfall, the NWS said, with a level one of five tornado risk.
The storms come as heat advisories and extreme heat warnings across the entire Chicago area continue until 9 p.m. Monday.
The latest weather alerts for the Chicago area can be found here.