Jun 18, 2009 11:19 am US/Central
Severe Weather To Blow Into Chicago Area
Tornado Warning Issued In Lincoln, Ill., Area Downstate
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
CBS 2's Ed Curran reports that there is a moderate risk of severe thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight for Chicago.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for the counties west and southwest of Chicago. This watch does not include the city of Chicago at this time.
A cluster of thunderstorms in Iowa has moved into northwestern Illinois. Rain is expected to fall across the area, but the heaviest storms are expected south/southwest of the city by mid-afternoon. Then there may be a break in the action.
More thunderstorms are expected to fire up from the outflow of these storms and due to an advancing warm front moving into Northern Illinois. That would bring additional thunderstorms into the Chicago area in the late afternoon and early evening hours, with the threat remaining until late tonight--perhaps midnight.
The first group of thunderstorms could bring large hail and damaging winds to the area. The second round of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening could bring large hail, damaging winds, and the threat of isolated tornadoes and heavy rainfall.
Tomorrow afternoon could see more severe weather for Chicago. An approaching cold front moving into moist 85 degree air would trigger those storms tomorrow afternoon.
A tornado warning was issued downstate early Thursday, as severe weather makes its way toward the Chicago area.
The tornado warning was in effect from 5:30 to 6:15 a.m. for parts of downstate DeWitt, Logan, Macon and Tazewell counties, according to the National Weather Service.
Officials detected a dangerous storm capable of producing a tornado in Lincoln, Ill., moving southeast at 40 mph.
No tornado touchdowns were reported, but tree limbs snapped in many communities, and thousands of residents lost power.
Galesburg Fire Department Batallion Chief Chip Timmons said his department spent Thursday morning fielding calls from residents about trees blocking roads, downed power lines and flooded streets. But Timmons says none of the damage appears too serious.
Downstate power company Ameren says more than 42,000 Illinois electric customers are without power, including more than 17,000 in Peoria County and more than 7,000 in Knox County.
Earlier in the morning, severe thunderstorm watches and warnings had been issued for the entire midsection of Illinois, from Danville west all the way to Galesburg. Thunderstorm warnings were in place in Springfield and Bloomington, and the storms were moving into the Peoria and Decatur areas.
CBS 2's Ed Curran and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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