Chicago weather today: Upper Midwest braces for severe weather with the potential for strong tornadoes
Share this @internewscast.com

CHICAGO — The Chicago area was placed under a conditional threat for severe weather overnight into Tuesday morning.

ABC7 Chicago meteorologist Larry Mowry said the most of the area is under a Level 1 threat. Some northwest suburbs were under a Level 2.

As for timing, Mowry said if any thunderstorms make it to the Chicago area, it would be between midnight and 4 a.m.

The upper Midwest braced Monday for severe thunderstorms with the potential for strong tornadoes.

The National Weather Service said the highest risks – a 4 on a scale of 1 to 5 – were in portions of southern Minnesota, including the Minneapolis area, northern Iowa and western Wisconsin. While forecasters expected two rounds of severe weather, the second, in the afternoon and evening, could be the most impactful.

“The most dangerous period is likely during the late afternoon and evening when strong tornado potential should be maximized. Scattered large to very large hail and damaging winds are likely as well,” meteorologists at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, wrote.

Depending on how the storms form, tornadoes in the EF-2 range or greater are possible, the weather service office for the Minneapolis area said.

The Storm Prediction Center said a lesser potential for severe weather extended as far south as parts of Texas and Oklahoma.

The City of Minneapolis on Monday reiterated its messaging to residents asking them to prepare. The city urged them to ensure they have multiple ways of getting weather alerts, are prepared to take shelter, secure outdoor furniture, and prepare for potential power outages by charging phones and other devices and having flashlights.

Monday’s first round of storms darkened skies over downtown Minneapolis around 9 a.m. and brought brief heavy rains, but it triggered no weather warnings as it passed through. The weather service said the situation for the afternoon’s main event remained volatile and could still spin up strong tornadoes.

The City of Minneapolis closed its public-facing non-emergency city facilities, including its main service center, as of 2 p.m. and activated its emergency operations center.

Some Minnesota schools canceled evening activities ahead of the storms, including the St. Paul and Bloomington School districts. Some Iowa schools also closed early for the day or canceled evening activities.

On Sunday evening, a tornado derailed an empty BNSF coal train west of Ashby in northwestern Nebraska. Initial reports were that a tornado measuring more than 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) wide derailed many of the approximately 130 cars on the train, toppling several onto their sides. There were no immediate reports of injuries and the locomotive remained upright, the News Channel Nebraska radio group reported. It was one of several tornadoes reported in that part of Nebraska on Sunday evening.

ABC7 Chicago contributed to this report.

Cook County Radar | DuPage County Radar | Will County Radar | Lake County Radar (IL) | Kane County Radar | Northwest Indiana Radar


Copyright © 2025 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Man vows to keep Texas business running despite 'worst flood' in 20 years

Texas Business Owner Determined to Keep Doors Open Amid Worst Flood in Two Decades

“Current live updates from the field indicate unconfirmed reports of more water…
Amazing Rescue of Woman in Tree, Stunning Video Shows Just How Fast TX Flood Waters Rose

Incredible Woman’s Rescue From Tree Captured on Video Highlighting Rapid Rise of Texas Floodwaters

Emergency crews continue their relentless search and rescue operations, striving to locate…
Lolita, a killer whale, performing at the Miami Seaquarium.

What Led to Lolita’s Death? The World’s Loneliest Whale Dies Weeks After Millionaire Promised to Aid Orca’s Release After 50 Years

BELOVED orca Lolita, who was known for her mind-blowing tricks and decades…
Glynn County police: 17-year-old arrested for attempted car-break in

Glynn County Police: Teen Arrested for Trying to Break Into a Car

A second suspect involved in the incident fled from police and remains…
Death toll in Central Texas flash floods nears 70 as sheriff says 11 campers remain missing

Central Texas Flash Floods: Nearly 70 Dead, 11 Campers Still Missing, Says Sheriff

In Kerville, Texas, the count of fatalities from the Central Texas flash…
The Dalai Lama celebrates his 90th birthday

The Dalai Lama Marks His 90th Birthday Celebration

Living in exile since fleeing Chinese rule in 1959, he remains a…
Dalai Lama, a global symbol of Tibetan culture and resistance, turns 90

Dalai Lama Celebrates 90th Birthday as Icon of Tibetan Heritage and Resilience

In the Himalayan town of Dharamshala, India, the Dalai Lama celebrated his…
Why Mets' Pete Alonso decided not to participate in Home Run Derby

Why Pete Alonso of the Mets Chose to Skip the Home Run Derby

Pete Alonso will be in the All-Star Game, but he won’t be…
Tropical Storm Chantal downgraded to tropical depression

Tropical Storm Chantal Weakens to Tropical Depression

Tropical Storm Chantal has now been downgraded to a tropical depression after…
Juan Soto among All-Star Game snubs as Mets send two more to Midsummer Classic

Juan Soto Overlooked for All-Star Game While Mets Add Two More Players to Roster

The Mets will have three representatives at the All-Star Game. Juan Soto…
Brunswick shooting leaves woman injured, man arrested

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Seeks Suspect in Shooting Incident That Injured One Person

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says this happened just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday…
Daria Kasatkina suffers 'unfortunate' wardrobe mishap in Wimbledon loss

Daria Kasatkina Experiences Wardrobe Malfunction During Wimbledon Defeat

During a third-round Wimbledon match, Daria Kasatkina experienced an unusual setback in…