The Chicago area saw showers and thunderstorms spin up on Thursday morning, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg on what promises to be an unsettled pattern in the region.
Thanks to those storms and to cloudy skies, high temperatures are only expected to reach into the mid-to-upper 70s across the region Thursday, with widely scattered showers possible.
More showers and storms will begin firing late Thursday, with the bulk of the storms forming by very early Friday morning. Some of those storms could ultimately become severe, with the Storm Prediction Center putting the Chicago area at a “slight” risk of severe weather.
The main threats with any storms that develop will be wind gusts of up to 60 miles per hour and heavy rains, but an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.
That moisture is expected to clear out of the area by Friday afternoon, with highs rising into the mid-80s, but another round of scattered showers and storms is expected in the evening hours.
The Chicago area will be at a “marginal” risk of severe weather during that round of storms, with the main threats once again being heavy rain and gusty winds, according to the SPC.
Saturday will see more scattered showers and storms, but will also usher in cooler temperatures, with highs in the mid-to-upper 70s across the region. Fortunately, no severe storms are expected to form, though the region will see hit-and-miss showers and storms for most of the day.
Sunday will see more of the same, though showers are expected to be more scattered in nature. That moisture will finally move out of the area for the start of the work week, with highs remaining in the upper-70s for several days.