The National Weather Service says multiple windows of severe weather bringing storms and damaging winds, along with a threat of tornadoes, are expected Thursday in the Chicagoland area.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a hazardous weather outlook for Lake, McHenry, Boone, Winnebago, Cook, DuPage, Kane, Will, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy, Kankakee, Livingston, Iroquois and Ford counties.
Multiple waves of severe thunderstorms are possible Thursday, according to the outlook.
Damaging hail and winds are possible in each round.
The first is occurring Thursday morning with scattered coverage across the area, the outlook said.
The NWS said the second window will be in the afternoon as a line of storms from the Plains races into Illinois.
The third window will be in the evening near the Illinois-Wisconsin border.
The storms occurring in the evening in Lake and McHenry counties, along with other state-line border counties, will likely take place from 5-9 p.m., according to the NWS.
The NWS said there will be a threat of damaging winds, up to 70 mph, capable of downing tree limbs and fences.
Damaging hail, up to a ping-pong ball size, will be capable of denting cars and siding.
A “tornado or two” is possible in the area, the weather service said.
Forecasters said they recommend residents have multiple ways to get weather warnings and take cover if one is issued.