National Weather Service officials are expecting Wednesday waves of showers and thunderstorms to hit the Chicago area capable of producing damaging winds and large hail and possibly tornadoes.

The National Weather Service recorded 1.23 inches of rain at O'Hare Airport and 1.83 inches at Midway Airport.

There is a tornado watch in place for the afternoon and evening in Chicago's south suburbs and Northwest Indiana.

Hurricane-force winds were also reported in parts of the area. Wind gusts topped out at 81 mph in Valparaiso, Indiana, 75 mph in Lakes of the Four Seasons in Indiana, and 74 mph in Gary, Indiana, and Lynwood, Illinois.

A warm front is lifting northward through Chicagoland, creating a favorable environment for severe storms going into the evening hours. Damaging wind gusts, large hail, and tornadoes will be possible with any storms that become severe. Following the storms this evening, skies will become partly cloudy tonight with lows in the 40s.

Another round of strong storms moved through the Chicago area Wednesday afternoon. There was a Tornado Warning for part of northwest Indiana, which has since expired.

Tornado season is here. Weather data tracked by The Courier Journal showed at least 66 tornadoes were recorded in Kentucky in 2024, but the weather phenomena come with a lot of myths.

A severe storm threat develops in Chicago around noon Wednesday, brining high winds, heavy rain, and threats of hail and isolated tornadoes.