Some in the Chicago area were roused awake early Tuesday by rumbles of thunder, heavy downpours and lightning as a severe thunderstorm pounded parts DuPage, Cook and Lake Counties through 4:45 a.m.
By 5:30 a.m., the storm had moved over Lake Michigan, the NBC 5 Storm Team said, leaving much of the area dry, though some sprinkles or showers could linger Tuesday morning and afternoon.
“Maybe some pockets of drizzle the next couple hours,” NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.
Although the severe weather moved out, the strong storms may have left damage in its path, thanks to winds gusting as high as 60 miles-per-hour, the National Weather Service said.
As of 5:30 a.m., approximately 750 people were without power according to ComEd’s outage map, with the majority reported in McHenry, Kane and Cook Counties.
While Tuesday afternoon will become drier, strong winds will remain, Roman said, with gusts as high as 30 miles-per-hour, and a beach hazard in effect through Wednesday for Lake Michigan beaches in Indiana and Illinois.
“Dangerous swimming conditions are expected,” the NWS said. “High waves of 6 to 10 feet and hazardous boating conditions.”
Temperatures and humidity Tuesday were also expected to drop as a cold front passes through, Roman said.
According to Roman, temperatures Tuesday in the southern counties will start out in the 70s and 80s, but drop into the 60s by evening. Counties to the north were expected to see temperatures in the 60s all day, Roman said.
Those temperatures are a far cry from Monday’s highs in the upper 80s to low 90s, Roman said.
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Wednesday, calmer conditions were expected to move in, along with slightly higher temperatures.
The next chance of rain comes on Tuesday of next week, Roman said.