As more than 17,000 people in the Chicago area remain without power following thunderstorm and tornado warnings Sunday, the region will once again be at risk of severe weather Monday afternoon and evening, with “all weather hazards at play,” according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.
“The storms could certainly pack a punch, just like we saw last night,” NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.
Much of Monday was expected to be dry, Roman said, with storm chances increasing as the afternoon and evening go on. By around 4 p.m. storms were expected to roll into far western Illinois, reaching Chicago area western counties between 6 and 8 p.m.
Between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. strong-to-severe storms were expected in Chicago, and most into Northwest Indiana by 10 p.m.
They were expected to dissipate overnight Roman said, coming to an end around 1 a.m. or 2 a.m.
According to the NWS, the entire Chicago area Monday afternoon and evening will be at an “enhanced” risk of severe weather, which ranks as level three of five on the Storm Prediction Center’s severe weather scale.
The greatest threats associated with Monday’s storms include destructive wind gusts of up to 75 miles per hour, the NWS said. Damaging, two-inch hail was also possible, and so was the chance for a tornado.
Additionally, “torrential” downpours could bring flash flooding, the NWS said.
Roman noted the strongest storms could remain across Chicago’s western counties.
A heat advisory was also in effect Monday, with “dangerous” heat and humidity levels expected, especially in counites to the west and southwest where the highest “feels-like” temperatures could reach between 105 and 100 degrees.
“Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur,” an alert from the National Weather Service said. “Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors.”
According to Roman, dewpoints Monday were expected to be between 70 and 75 degrees.
“A very tropical airmass in place today,” Roman said.
According to the NWS, the advisory was scheduled to expire at 7 p.m. Monday.
Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications Monday issued an advisory encouraging residents to be prepared to the heat, with multiple cooling centers opening beginning at 9 a.m.
A full forecast for the Chicago area this week can be found here.