Tornado Watch Issued for Chicago as City Recovers from Recent Storms

The National Weather Service placed most of northern Illinois, including the entire Chicago metropolitan area, under a tornado watch that runs until 9 p.m. Thursday. Forecasters expect a second line of thunderstorms to arrive around 7 p.m., potentially producing wind gusts of up to 80 mph, hail and flash flooding, with rain rates of one to three inches per hour. A flood watch is also in effect through 11 p.m.

AccuWeather senior meteorologist Melissa Constanzer said the brief break in sunshine between storm rounds could intensify the later system, allowing thunderstorms moving in from Iowa and western Illinois to draw additional energy from the sun. > "We are getting a few breaks of sunshine starting to work through, and that spells out some trouble for us because it means that these thunderstorms coming in from the west, from Iowa and western Illinois, can actually use that sunlight … as some sort of fuel," she explained.

The watch follows a powerful derecho that swept through Chicago on Wednesday, generating wind gusts exceeding 70 mph and causing widespread damage. The storm knocked down trees and power lines, leaving more than 5,000 reports of hazards, according to Ryan Gage, a spokesperson for the Department of Streets and Sanitation. > "Crews have been deployed citywide and are working diligently to clear streets and restore safe passage as quickly as possible," Gage said.

ComEd reported that nearly 180,000 Chicago customers lost power during the Wednesday event, with about 60,000 still without service as of Thursday afternoon. The utility estimates that 80 percent of outages will be restored by Saturday night.

Meteorologist Eric Lenning described Wednesday's system as a derecho—a fast-moving line of thunderstorms—while noting that Thursday's threat may involve supercell activity, which can produce rotating thunderstorms and tornadoes. He added that tornadoes, if they develop, could reach EF-2 intensity.

Residents described the damage, including a Bridgeport homeowner who saw multiple trees uprooted and a 100-year-old tree lift a sidewalk, exposing a gas line. In the South Loop, a high-rise apartment building had more than 20 exterior windows shattered by the wind, though interior panes remained intact.

City officials and utility representatives continue to assess damage and restore services as the forecast calls for additional severe weather later Thursday.