A flood watch is in effect for portions of central, north-central and northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana until 8 p.m., weather officials said.
Earlier, National Weather Service officials were expecting showers and thunderstorms Wednesday mainly after 1 p.m. with wind gusts up to 20 mph in portions of northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.
Later Wednesday morning, a flood watch was called for the area as an 80% chance of thunderstorms and showers was expected before 1 p.m. with rainfall amounts between three-quarters of an inch and 1 inch possible. Showers and thunderstorms are expected after 4 a.m. Thursday with a low of 64 degrees, officials said.
Officials said some of Wednesday’s storms carry a risk of damaging winds up to 70 mph, a slight tornado risk and large hail up to a quarter in size.
Current conditions at O’Hare International Airport are light rain at 80 degrees. At Midway Airport farther south, conditions are overcast at 81 degrees.
Looking ahead, temperatures are expected in the 80s before the weekend starts with highs in the 90s.