ComEd is working to restore power to residents in Lake and McHenry counties after thunderstorms went through the area, causing a portion of Route 12 near Wauconda to be shut down.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a severe thunderstorm warning around 8 a.m. Wednesday for McHenry County.
The NWS said severe thunderstorms were detected along a line extending from Beloit to near Winnebago moving east at 55 mph.
Forecasters warned of 70 mph wind gusts and nickel-size hail.
“Expect considerable tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings,” the warning said.
The warning was later expanded to cover Lake County around 8:40 a.m., at which time the thunderstorms were located along a line extending from Hebron to Woodstock to Genoa moving east at 60 mph.
The updated warning reported that 70 mph wind gusts and penny-size hail were possible.
Fire departments throughout the two counties were kept busy Wednesday morning responding to storm-related calls, including flooding, wires down and trees down.
The Lake County Division of Transportation reported there were trees and wires down throughout Lake County.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said around 10 a.m. that the northbound and southbound lanes of Route 12 between Old McHenry Road and Lake Shore Drive near Wauconda were shut down.
The busy highway was closed after live power lines came down across both lanes.
Police remain in the area as of 11 a.m. blocking off the section of the roadway while crews work to address the situation.
Heavy traffic was reported nearby on Milton Road where vehicles were being diverted.
According to ComEd, over 100 separate outages were reported combined across Lake County and McHenry County — affecting several thousand customers.
The NWS said a second cluster of thunderstorms will track across far northern Illinois through the early afternoon. More heavy rain, strong winds and frequent lightning can be expected.