- NWS said the powerful storm will continue to bring gusty winds and thunderstorms to much of the eastern U.S. today
A tornado weather warning was issued for parts of the US during the day and evening on Tuesday, as a powerful mix of rain, hail and tornadoes hit the Chicago area and severe storms pummeled Illinois.
Multiple tornadoes were reported amid tornado watches and severe thunderstorm warnings that popped up one after another as the weather system moved east.
A tornado could be seen passing through Gary, Indiana overnight as lightning lit up the sky.
Heavy lightning flashes were seen in video taken overnight in Lake County, Illinois, while a tornado cone was visible in the flashing sky near Somonauk in footage taken from a moving car.
Golf ball-sized hail was also reported, according to NBC Chicago.
The National Weather Service said in an update Wednesday: “A strong storm will continue to produce flurries and thunderstorms across much of the eastern United States today.
A tornado was seen ripping through Gary, Indiana overnight. Flashes of lightning could also be seen above a building
NSW Chicago said in a post on
‘Some of these thunderstorms will become intense and could produce heavy rainfall and locally damaging winds.
“The chance of tornadoes will be significantly lower than Tuesday night. As a strong cold front moves eastward across the country, temperatures will drop 20, 40 and even 60 degrees from the previous day’s highs in the central states.”
Lake effect snow showers are said to be expected to spread across the Great Lakes and another storm will bring more rain and high-altitude snow to the Northwest.
The weather service emphasized that showers will develop in southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona.
Hagel was also shown storming the street of a residential neighborhood in Chicago on Tuesday night
As the storm heads south toward California this weekend, it is forecast to dump several feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada.
A tornado warning remained in effect for Lake County until 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, NWS officials said.
Severe thunderstorm warnings were also in effect for almost all of northeastern Illinois until 8:15 p.m., with potential wind gusts of more than 70 miles per hour and large hailstones forecast.
The Storm Prediction Center upgraded the entire Chicago area to an “enhanced” risk of severe weather, noting that wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour and hail up to two inches in diameter could occur, as well as possibly “significant” tornadoes. .