Overnight storms in Chicago area could produce dangerous wind gusts, tornadoes

While the Chicago area could potentially see severe weather Wednesday evening, a round of strong-to-severe storms could arrive overnight.

According to the Storm Prediction Center, the entire Chicago area remains at a “slight” risk of severe weather overnight, the second of five levels the SPC uses to determine the likelihood of powerful storms.

Those thunderstorms could potentially sink south out of Wisconsin, where a tornado watch has been in effect for most of the day, according to the National Weather Service.

Storms could begin arriving any time after 2 a.m. Tuesday and continue until daybreak according to the NBC 5 Storm Team, and some may reach severe limits.

Of particular concern is the possibility of strong wind gusts, with forecast models showing a “bowing” effect in some of the lines of storms, which could indicate powerful winds out of the north.

There is also a chance the storms could spin up an isolated tornado or two, so residents are urged to have a way to receive weather alerts overnight.

Storms could also bring heavy rain to the area, leading to some localized flooding.

After a mostly dry afternoon, more storms are expected to develop into Tuesday evening. Parts of the Chicago area north of Interstate 80 are at an “enhanced” risk of severe weather Tuesday, with the rest of the area at the “slight” risk category.

The main threats with any storms that develop would be large hail and the possibility of “strong tornadoes,” forecasters warn, and gusty winds and heavy rain cannot be ruled out.

Those storms could continue to impact the area into Thursday morning, but most of the day could be dry, with temperatures in the 70s according to forecast models.

Late Friday another series of storms could develop, with a severe thunderstorm risk returning to the forecast on Saturday.

Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information, and be sure to download the NBC Chicago app for real-time weather alerts sent directly to your phone.