Chicago will likely be pummeled by severe thunderstorms Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northeastern Cook County — including Chicago, Evanston, Des Plaines and Oak Lawn — Friday afternoon. It warned of 60 miles per hour wind gusts and expected damage to roofs, siding and trees.
The service also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Aurora, Naperville and Arlington Heights in the suburbs, warning of gusts up to 70 miles per hour.
A severe thunderstorm watch extends to 7 p.m. Friday in a number of Illinois counties, including Cook, Kane, DuPage and Lake. Hail up to ping pong size is possible along with lightning strikes.
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By 1 p.m., the weather service said there were severe thunderstorms moving east toward the city.
Some Fourth of July activities planned across the city and suburbs for Friday were cancelled or rescheduled due to the storms. Aurora and Wauconda postponed their fireworks shows to keep visitors safe, officials said.
The Taste of Oak Brook, expected to draw a crowd of thousands, also canceled its outdoor festival, saying heavy flooding caused safety and structural issues as well as electrical hazards.
About 150 flights were cancelled and more than 1,000 delayed at O’Hare International Airport as of Friday evening, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking website. There were about 150 delays and 25 cancellations at Midway Airport.
The weather service recommended, for protection, moving to an interior room on the lowest floor of the building.
The storms will help break up scorching temperatures that gripped the city this week, meteorologists said.