Chicago weather: Tornado Watch issued as severe storm threat looms

CHICAGO - All eyes are on Chicagoland tonight as the Storm Prediction Center has upgraded the area to a Moderate Risk for severe weather, a level 4 out of 5. This upgrade signals the expectation of widespread, long-lived severe storms throughout the region.

Additionally, a Tornado Watch has been issued for the entire Chicago area until 1 a.m.

LIVE Alerts

• TORNADO WARNING for LaPorte County in Indiana until 11 p.m.
• TORNADO WARNING for Porter County in Indiana until 10:45 p.m.
• TORNADO WARNING for Lake, Jasper and Newton counties in Indiana until 10:45 p.m.
• TORNADO WARNING for Kankakee and Lake counties until 10:15 p.m.
• TORNADO WARNING for Cook (including Chicago), DuPage and Lake counties until 10 p.m.
• TORNADO WARNING for DuPage and Lake (IL) counties until 10 p.m.
• TORNADO WARNING for Cook, Will, Kendall and Grundy counties until 10 p.m.
• TORNADO WARNING for Will and Kendall counties until 9:45 p.m.
• Confirmed TORNADO on the ground near Sugar Grove, IL
• TORNADO WARNING for Kane and DuPage counties until 9:30 p.m.
• Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Kendall, LaSalle, Grundy and Livingston counties until 9:45 p.m.
• Flash Flood Warning for Lake County, IL
• TORNADO WARNING for Kane and McHenry counties until 9:15 p.m.
• Ground stop at O'Hare Airport until 9:30 p.m.
• Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Kane, Kendall and LaSalle counties until 9:15 p.m.
• UPNW inbound and outbound trains are stopped near Woodstock due to high wind warnings. The duration of this delay is unknown. Metra will update as information becomes available.
• TORNADO WARNING for DeKalb County until 8:45 p.m.
• Severe Thunderstorm Warning for DeKalb, Kane and McHenry counties until 9:15 p.m.
• Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Lake County, Illinois, until 8:30 p.m.

Residents should brace for all types of severe weather hazards this evening, including damaging winds, tornadoes, flooding, and hail. The primary threat, however, will be damaging straight-line winds that could reach speeds of 70-80 mph. The window for severe storms is projected to be from roughly 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.

In contrast, Tuesday promises a significant respite from the severe conditions, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures rising to the mid-80s. Cooler weather is set to follow by midweek, with highs likely reaching the upper 70s to near 80 degrees by Wednesday.

Thursday will bring sunny skies and highs in the mid-70s.

The tranquil weather is expected to continue through the end of the weekend. Forecasts indicate a sunny and pleasant weekend ahead, with highs in the lower 80s.

Tornado sirens wail in Chicago as severe weather sweeps across Midwest on Sunday

The severe weather threat on Monday comes after a stormy weekend across the Midwest, including the Chicago area. The FOX Forecast Center said that 3,200 lightning strikes were recorded from 10 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Sunday as the severe storms passed through.

A video recorded Sunday night shows ominous storm clouds approaching the city while tornado sirens could be heard wailing in the background.

Damage was reported in several communities after the severe weather Sunday night, including a roof that was blown off a home in Maple Park and several trees and large branches that were knocked down in Chicago.

Severe weather in Joliet rips roof off of building near downtown.  ((Joliet Police Department / FOX 32 Chicago))

Earlier in the day, a powerful thunderstorm tore across the city of Joliet to the south of Chicago, leaving extensive damage behind.

Thousands of people were left without power after the storm, and officials say damage was reported at the Rock and Roll Museum in town. In addition, the roof of a building there was torn off and landed in the middle of a road.

Several trees and power lines were also brought down, and no injuries have been reported.