Few thunderstorms are expected to form during a hot and humid Friday afternoon in the Chicago area, but those that do have the potential to bring damaging winds and hail, according to the National Weather Service.
If storms hit, it they’re most likely south of Interstate 80 and after 4 p.m., and although areas up to the north border of the city have a chance of storms, according to the weather service, many areas will stay dry.
The heat and humidity blanketing Chicagoland could be a double-edged sword. Chicago will be “capped” this afternoon, meaning a layer of warm air will form that suppresses or delays any thunderstorms. But any storms that do form will “pack a punch” of winds up to 60 mph and hail the size of a quarter, according to the weather service.
Temperatures could reach as high as 97 degrees Friday, and in some areas south of I-80, the heat and humidity will make it feel like more than 100 degrees outside. The weather service urged people to stay hydrated, use sunscreen and check on elderly people who don’t have air conditioning.
Chances of thunderstorms persist throughout the weekend, with an elevated risk on Sunday, the weather service said. The sticky, hot weather is expected to shift Monday as temperatures fall, with highs in the mid-70s and lows in the 50s, according to the weather service.
With storms and heavy rain Thursday night into Friday morning, more than an inch and a half of rainfall accumulated in Waukegan up to the Wisconsin border, said meteorologist Brian Leatherwood. The northern suburbs got about three-quarters of an inch of rain, with areas farther south gradually receiving less rain, Leatherwood said.
As of 9:20 a.m. Friday, the weather service had not received many calls of overnight wind damage, Leatherwood said, but a report from Midway Airport recorded winds of more than 60 mph between 4 and 5 a.m.
The weather service was monitoring a second wave of storms west of Chicago that appeared on a trajectory to stay south of the city, but which could shift paths, Leatherwood said.
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