Chicago Weather

Chicago weather: Thunderstorms force ground stop at O'Hare as severe weather looms

All weather hazards are expected to be at play Monday in the Chicago area, with chances for heavy downpours, hail, damaging winds and the possibility of a tornado

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Editor's Note: An updated version of this story can be found here. Our original story continues below.

A steamy, stormy day with the threat of severe weather is in store for the Chicago area Monday, with some waking up to rain and rumbles of thunder and the chance for more showers and storms expected in the afternoon.

Early Monday, rain was already falling in some parts, with live radar showing some storms passing over southern Lake and northern Cook Counties. As part of that system, the National Weather Service warned winds of up to 30 miles per hour and nickel-sized hail for parts of Waukegan, Gurnee and North Chicago.

At 6:15 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at Chicago O'Hare's International Airport due to thunderstorms. That ground stop was expected to last until at least 7:45 a.m., the FAA said.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties in Indiana, with alerts expiring between 8:30 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. Another was issued for southeastern Cook County and parts of Will and Kankakee counties in Illinois.

Around 10 a.m., showers and storms were expected to move over Lake Michigan, NBC 5 Meteorologist Alicia Roman said. By afternoon however, there was a higher chance of more widespread showers and storms, some with the potential to turn strong or severe.

At that time, the entire Chicago area will be under a "slight" risk of severe weather, which falls as level two of five on the Storm Prediction Center's severe weather scale.

At that time, all weather hazards will be at play, Roman said, with heavy downpours, gusty, damaging winds up to 60 miles per hour, damaging hail and localized flash flooding.

Additionally, the potential for a tornado can't be ruled out, Roman said.

Storms and showers were expected to continue through around midnight, Roman said. Some rain would continue overnight, with shower and storm chances into the Tuesday morning commute, especially in Chicago's northern counties, Roman said.

Temperatures Monday will remain steamy too, with high humidity and temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s.

By Tuesday, temperatures were expected to dip into the 70s, Roman said.

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