A severe thunderstorm watch has ended for most of the Chicago area, but was extended for a handful of counties as storms continued to swing in from the west.
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of Will and Kankakee counties, effective until 10:15 p.m.
The severe thunderstorm watch will remain in effect through 10 p.m. Central time Thursday, and covers LaSalle, Grundy and Kankakee counties, according to the National Weather Service.
A severe thunderstorm warning did include southern LaSalle County, and was scheduled to run through 9:15 p.m., according to NWS officials.
WATCH: Live radar of storms' arrival in Chicago area
The watch calls for scattered wind gusts of up to 70 miles per hour, along with scattered hail that could reach up to two and a half inches in diameter, roughly the size of a tennis ball.
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Isolated tornadoes are also possible with any supercells that develop, according to officials.
The timing of the storms calls for the initial burst to occur north of Interstate 80 between 3 and 7 p.m., though storms could race south of that line before that time. The evening hours will see storms become more widespread south of Interstate 80, impacting parts of central Illinois and wide swaths of Indiana.
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In addition to the aforementioned threats, heavy rains could lead to a risk of flash flooding, especially in areas south of Interstate 80.
