Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Warning in Chicago and Cook County: Latest News

Severe weather hits Chicago with tornado and thunderstorm warnings. Airport delays and nearly record-breaking warm temperatures. #ChicagoWeather #TornadoWarning

Tuesday night brought severe weather to portions of Cook County, with a tornado warning in effect and the city under a severe thunderstorm warning. The Office of Emergency Management and Communications issued the warning, while the National Weather Service forecasted quarter-sized hail and wind gusts of up to 70 mph. The storm area extended from the Indiana state line to southwest suburban Joliet and up north to Mundelein.

In addition to the severe storm warning, a tornado warning was issued for much of north Cook County. A tornado watch indicates likely tornado formation, while a tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted.

The severe weather led to a ground stop at O'Hare International Airport and traffic management at Midway Airport, causing extensive delays for Metra riders along the Union Pacific Northwest lines.

Earlier in the day, temperatures reached 74 degrees at O'Hare International Airport, just shy of the record set in 1976 when temperatures topped out at 75 degrees, marking the warmest February day on record. David King, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, confirmed that Tuesday's temperatures nearly broke city weather records.