Buildings as smoke from Canada wildfires creates haze in Chicago, Illinois, US, on Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Smoke from wildfires burning in Canada are leading to very hazy conditions and prompting air quality alerts in the Chicago area Tuesday. Photographer: Jamie Keleter Davis/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Sunday is shaping up to be an interesting one from a weather perspective in the Chicago area, with air quality concerns and the threat of severe weather both in the forecast.
According to the National Weather Service, an air quality alert will be in effect through at least midnight across the entire upper Midwest, including all of Illinois and Indiana, as a result of wildfire smoke drifting into the region from western Canada.
That smoke has already begun causing hazy conditions throughout the region, with residents with respiratory ailments and preexisting conditions urged to limit time outdoors.
That is going to continue through most of the day, but the threat of severe weather won’t really emerge in the forecast until later on. There is a chance of thunderstorms south of Interstate 80 on Sunday afternoon, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team, but the main event likely won’t develop until late Sunday night.
That’s when a cold front will begin to really push toward Illinois, firing showers and thunderstorms ahead of it.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, the “marginal” risk of severe weather will really kick in after 8 p.m., with straight-line winds in excess of 60 miles per hour and some hail possible, especially near and south of the Kankakee River.
High temperatures on Sunday will be in the low-80s, according to forecast models.
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Things will dry out on Monday, with temperatures settling into the upper-70s and low-80s, along with lower humidity and clearer air.
Humidity will make a big return on Wednesday, along with the possibility of showers and thunderstorms. Thursday could be even muggier, but following that another dip in temperatures and dew points can be expected.
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Stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather updates.
