Although Monday saw a dry and bright start to the work week, an "unsettled" weather pattern bringing daily chances for rain and potentially strong storms is set to develop Tuesday afternoon across the Chicago area and last for the next several days, the NBC 5 Storm Team says.
And while any storms that do form are at a "marginal" risk of turning severe, the weekly forecast calls for some dry time, too. As NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman put it, "just because there is rain and storms in the forecast, doesn’t mean it will be rainy, stormy all day."
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for east-central Cook County until 3:15 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
The storm is moving over Burbank, drifting to the east at 25 miles per hour.
Wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour are possible, along with quarter-size hail. The hail could cause damage to vehicles, and storms could potentially cause wind damage to trees and power lines.
Here's a breakdown of the weekly forecast, and where storm chances stands as of Tuesday morning.
Tuesday
Local
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, some counties to the south and west including Lake could see scattered morning showers passing through. However, the greater chance for rain and storms comes in the afternoon, forecast models show.
"Isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms are likely to develop across parts of Northern Illinois, along with a cold front this afternoon," an alert from the National Weather Service said.
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According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, much of the daytime hours will remain dry and partly sunny, with a 30 percent chance of rain and storm taking hold around 4 p.m. and lasting into the evening. Additionally, more showers and storms are possible across northern Illinois overnight, the NWS says.
"While severe weather is not expected with this activity, heavy rainfall would be likely to accompany these storms," the NWS said, adding that "a localized flash flood threat could develop across Northern Illinois" late Tuesday, depending on how many storms move over the same area.
Temperatures Tuesday will feel more humid, the NBC 5 Storm Team says, with highs in the mid 80s for the first half of the day. However, in the afternoon, as a cold front moves in, temperatures are expected to drop into the mid-to-low 70s near the lake. Inland, temperatures are expected to remain in the 80s.
Wednesday
A greater chances of strong to severe storms comes Wednesday, the NBC 5 Storm Team says, with precipitation chances coming in at 80 percent. According to forecast models, storms Wednesday could be accompanied by damaging winds, flash flooding and "marginally severe" hail, especially for areas south of I-80 in the afternoon, the NWS adds.
However, the greatest threat the storms both days pose, Roman said, are heavy downpours. "We could see some torrential downpours out of this," Roman said, adding that some areas Wednesday could see a "quick 1-2 inches of rain."
According to the NBC 5 Storm Team, the severe weather risk remains "marginal" into Wednesday, which ranks as level one on a scale of five.
Temperatures Wednesday will remain on the cooler side, in the low 70s to low 80s.
Daily rain chances continue
Daily rain and intermittent thunderstorm chances linger through the remainder of the week and into the weekend, forecast models show, with a 20 percent chance of rain Thursday, followed by a 30 percent chance Friday, and a 40 percent chance Saturday.
Temperatures both days are rebound slightly, with highs in the mid 70s to mid 80s Thursday, and low 80s on Friday.
