CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Scattered thunderstorms were expected to hit the Chicago area on Thursday and could potentially impact Day One of Lollapalooza, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
NWS Chicago officials said the threat of thunderstorms would be highest between 3 – 9 p.m. All storms would be capable of producing lightning strikes, downpours and gusty winds, while the strongest storms may produce quarter-size hail.
Chicago already saw some rain on Thursday morning, and NWS meteorologist Gino Izzi told the Chicago Sun-Times that the area’s rainy start could impact the likelihood of severe weather later in the day.
“The longer rain lasts into the morning or the longer it stays kind of cloudy, keeps temperatures cooler, the less of a threat there is for severe thunderstorms later in the day,” Izzi said.
If the rain ends too early in the morning, though, Izzi said the chances of severe thunderstorms hitting Chicago in that 3 – 9 p.m. window will grow.
“That would be the time we’d be more concerned about a severe weather threat,” Izzi said.
Some showers could return Friday, but no severe weather is expected before a hot and dry weekend.
“Even though temperatures will be in the upper 80s in general, it does look like we will have a lake breeze Friday, Saturday and Sunday, so people that are at Lollapalooza will probably see temperatures a little bit cooler than areas further inland,” Izzi said.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
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