Chicago and Midwest Face Severe Weather Threat

Severe weather targeted Chicago for the second consecutive day on Thursday. The storm threat extended across a wide area.

Tornadoes appeared in Illinois on Thursday afternoon as intense storms moved through the Midwest. Meteorologists predicted more tornado activity into the evening. The National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency near Peoria, Ill., shortly after 5 p.m. local time. This rare alert signaled a large, potentially destructive tornado on the ground. No immediate widespread damage reports came from the tornado affecting La Rose, Toluca, and Wenona in Illinois.

Throughout the region, tornado warnings began early in the afternoon. Reports of strong winds and hail emerged from Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Missouri. Tens of millions from Texas to the East Coast could face severe weather, including hail, heavy rain, destructive winds, or tornadoes. The highest risk was projected near the Great Lakes.

Late Thursday morning, the Storm Prediction Center raised the severe forecast for Chicago. The storms did not produce widespread damage, but generated tornadoes, strong winds, heavy rain, and hail. Poweroutage.com reported over 200,000 homes and businesses in the region without power by early afternoon. Some outages persisted from previous severe weather Wednesday night.

A large mass of warm, moist air fueled the stormy weather spanning from Texas to New England.

Video: Thunderstorms brought rain and high winds across the Midwest. Credit: Kevin Cavallin, via Storyful

Judson Jones is a meteorologist and reporter for The Times, covering extreme weather forecasts.