While the Chicago forecast Monday called for a pleasant and seasonal conditions, high humidity, 90-degree temperatures and the threat of severe weather loomed over the forecast for Tuesday, the NBC 5 Storm Team said.
Monday will be a dry day, NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said, with mostly-to-partly sunny skies and highs in the 80s. Along the lake, temperatures were expected to be slightly cooler, Roman said.
Overnight however, the weather was expected to take a turn as the first of as many as three rounds of showers and storms could move in, Roman added.
"Waves of storms may parade through the region tonight through Tuesday night," a tweet from the National Weather Service warned. "With building heat and humidity levels, any storm may be severe with damaging winds and torrential downpours."
Roman noted the first round of storms was expected to begin around 11 p.m. Monday and continue overnight. A second round could move in by Tuesday's mid-morning hours, beginning around 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. and last through around 11 a.m., Roman said.
Around 7 p.m., a third round was expected to arrive, starting in counties to the north. Showers and storms were expected to last overnight into Wednesday, Roman said.
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According to Roman, showers and storms later in the day Tuesday carry a "slight" risk of turning severe, which ranks as level two of five on the Storm Prediction Center's severe weather scale.
"Any storms that do develop could contain damaging wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour, heavy rain leading to torrential downpours and flash flooding chances," Roman said.
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Tuesday was also expected to see higher dew points, which means muggier conditions, Roman said.
"Humidity inches back upwards tomorrow," Roman said.
Temperatures Tuesday were expected to be warmer, with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s, Roman said. However, "some of the storms could limit temperatures," Roman said.
If thunderstorms fail to develop overnight, the NWS said, Tuesday could "see heat "dangerous heat indices above 100 degrees."
Wednesday and Thursday were expected to be mainly dry and sunny, with cooler temperatures, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team. The next chance for rain later in the week comes Friday, Roman said.
