Thunderstorm watch for Chicago area until 10 p.m.

The severe thunderstorm watch issued by the National Weather Service Sunday afternoon for the Chicago area continues until 10 p.m. although it appears for now that heavy rains and hail which pelted parts of the suburbs in the late afternoon and early evening have passed.

The most recent severe thunderstorm warnings issued by the weather service have been for Iriquois County in east-central Illinois and Jasper and Newton Counties in northwest Indiana.

The storms are expected to produce 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail. The service warns that damage to vehicles is expected as well as wind damage to roofs, siding and trees.

The weather service is recommending residents move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.

Cook, Dupage, Lake, Will, Kane and McHenry counties are among those included in the weather service's severe thunderstorm watch that remains in effect until 10 p.m.

According to the National Weather Service, the Chicago area storms are part of the same weather system that has the potential to produce very large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes this evening in central Kansas northeastward into central Iowa.