Storms, heavy rain continuing Wednesday throughout northern Illinois: NWS

Showers and thunderstorms were expected throughout northern Illinois on Wednesday with the potential to produce flash flooding in some areas, the National Weather said.

“This heavy rainfall could result in some instances of flash flooding, especially in the urban areas in and around the Chicago metro area,” the weather service said in a hazardous weather outlook issued Wednesday morning. “A conditional threat for severe storms also exists this afternoon.”

Afternoon storms have the potential to become severe, with large hail and damaging winds being the primary threat, “though a low end threat for a tornado or two would also exist,” the weather service said.

On Wednesday, the weather service cautioned that heavy rain in the area could cause flash flooding.

The NWS also issued a hazardous weather outlook Tuesday afternoon that warned of possible thunderstorms capable of producing quarter-size hail and 60 mph winds across northern Illinois, primarily north of Interstate 80, through the evening, with severe weather possibly picking up again after midnight.

The severe weather was expected to affect Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Kane, DuPage, La Salle, Kendall, Grundy, Kankakee, Livingston, Iroquois, Ford, Cook and Will and counties.

For tips and resources for flood safety, or for more information on current flooding and weather alerts, visit the NWS website.