Western suburbs under storm warning as showers approach Chicago

A line of severe storms has prompted the National Weather Service to place the entire Chicago area under a severe storm watch, with parts of the far western suburbs under a severe storm warning Wednesday night.

Cook and all collar counties were under a watch until 11 p.m. Wednesday, with the western parts of DeKalb and LaSalle counties under a warning until 11 p.m., according to the weather service.

A line of storms extending from Pontiac to Antioch was moving in a northeast direction at a 45 mph clip and was expected to remain in the Chicago area until about 10:15 p.m., according to the weather service. Gusts may reach up to 55 mph.

The storms bearing down on Chicago will delay overnight closures scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday on Lake Shore Drive until the weekend, CDOT announced Wednesday afternoon.

Weather permitting, the full overnight closures of southbound Lake Shore Drive will be pushed to Sunday and Monday night, according to CDOT.

Traffic will be detoured off at Michigan Avenue for repaving of the S-curve. The detour route is south on Michigan to Randolph and east on Randolph back to southbound Lake Shore Drive. Chicago Avenue access to and from Lake Shore will be maintained.

The exit ramp at Chestnut will be closed. Northbound Lake Shore Drive will remain open on these nights, according to the statement.

Repaving of the northbound mainline of Lake Shore from Grand to North has already been completed, but striping work remains. That is scheduled to happen overnight Thursday into Friday morning, and will require the closure of two northbound lanes.

In addition, crews will be working on curbs and gutters on the Michigan Avenue ramps to Lake Shore during the daytime Thursday and Friday, but the work will not require lane closures.