Severe storms move through suburbs, cause power outages, down trees

Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds moved through the suburbs Tuesday evening.

The National Weather Service in Chicago reported via Twitter wind gusts reaching nearly 60 mph at O'Hare just before 8 p.m. and a maximum 54 mph gust at Midway.

Social media and other reports show trees downed particularly in the north Fox Valley, such as in Pingree Grove, Cary and Lake in the Hills. Traffic lights went out in downtown Arlington Heights, and a downed power line was reported by a CBS Chicago reporter in Oak Brook.

ComEd reported just after 9:30 p.m. that more than 181,000 customers in northeastern Illinois are without power; it was as high as 194,000.

The weather service had warned of damaging winds strong enough to uproot trees as the primary threat, with also torrential downpours and isolated large hail. It said tornadoes could emerge, but in the end there were no warnings, which would have resulted from sightings.

The line of storms moved through most of the length of the Chicago area, from north of the Wisconsin border south to Joliet.

"Expect considerable tree damage," one severe thunderstorm warning said, and the other warned of likely hail. The warnings had expired by 8:30 p.m.

The National Weather Service warned about dangerously hot and humid air that started Tuesday and will continue Wednesday and even into Thursday.

Forecasts warn heat indexes throughout much of the suburbs are expected to reach between 105 and 110 degrees.

Meteorologists say strenuous outdoor activities should be limited or avoided to reduce the risk of heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

Forecasters say highs will remain in the 90s through Thursday.

Parts of the far western and northern suburbs saw tornadoes Monday afternoon, and meteorologists were out in the field Tuesday to assess damage caused by those twisters. They said at least six tornadoes had touched down in northern Illinois.

Forecasts call for the potential of severe weather throughout much of the remainder of the week as well.

Exactly one year ago today, the Chicago area was struck by a line of wind-damaging storms called a "derecho" that uprooted large trees, knocked down fences and caused widespread power outages in the area that lasted several days in some parts.

All told, the derecho spawned 11 tornadoes and caused more than $11 billion in damages throughout parts of the Midwest, according to media reports at the time.