The Chicago area is under an "enhanced" risk for severe weather Tuesday, bringing the threat of damaging winds and possibly even tornadoes following a stormy Monday that saw strong systems and damage to parts of the region.
According to NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman, the biggest threat for storms will come during the evening hours Tuesday, with "all weather hazards possible."
"The best chance to see those showers and storms will really be after 7 p.m. moving from west to east," Roman said.
The threat comes just after a largely dry day, with hot temperatures that will have much of the area feeling more like Fourth of July than May as temps could reach 90 degrees for the first time this year.
But from 7 p.m. through midnight, severe storms will likely hit the region, "quickly passing through our evening hours," Roman said.
According to early morning projections, the storms will likely start in the western suburbs between 7 and 8 p.m., reaching city limits between 9 and 10 p.m., Roman said. They are then expected to hit southern counties and travel into northwest Indiana just before midnight.
"So quickly passing through here, but it could definitely pack a punch as it does," Roman said.
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The entire Chicago area is at an "enhanced" risk for severe weather, a level three threat out of five.
Roman said the biggest threats with the storms will be damaging and destructive winds, with gusts up to 75 mph considered the "primary threat."
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"But tornadoes are also right behind it," Roman said. "That possible spin up, brief tornadoes [are] possible into the evening hours. A lot of this will be a nighttime while you're sleeping, so have a way to get alerts on your phone."
Areas out to the west of the Chicago area could see even more violent winds and a higher threat of tornadoes, with areas around the Quad Cities potentially at a "moderate" risk of severe weather, officials said.
After the storms, temperatures begin to cool down with highs in the mid-70s, though the 80s return by the end of the week with another chance for showers.
Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information.
