Waves of potentially severe thunderstorms are approaching the Chicago area as a moving cold front will cause temperatures to plummet more than 20 degrees Tuesday.
The storms bring a slight chance for flooding and could produce golf ball-sized hail and damaging winds of up to 60 mph in the southwest suburbs, according to the National Weather Service. A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 5:30 p.m. for 13 Illinois counties, including Cook, DuPage and Kane, the weather service said.
A ground stop was issued at O’Hare Airport around 8:30 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. At least 10 flights were canceled, and over 180 had been delayed as of 9:50 a.m., according to FlightAware.
Throughout the day, the Chicago area was expected to see temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s before dropping into the 50s by Tuesday night.
“There’s just a cold front that’s dropping through the area, and on the north side of that front there are much colder temperatures than there are on the south side of the front,” said Rafal Ogorek, a weather service meteorologist. “We’re currently south of the front, so that’s why we’re observing the warmer temperatures right now. But as the front moves through the area, those colder temperatures will move into the Chicago metro area.”
Starting Wednesday, a separate storm system will bring a renewed chance for showers and thunderstorms in the area through the rest of the week, according to Ogorek.