Storms sweep through Chicago area as cold front ends record-breaking week of 70-degree temps

Strong winds and thunderstorms rolled through the Chicago area Tuesday evening, ending a week-long period of summer-like temperatures for the area.

A tornado watch covering much of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin was issued around 2 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Storms started moving through the area around 4 p.m. and the watch expired about 8 p.m.

A wind gust of 79 mph was recorded at Aurora Municipal Airport in the west suburb, the weather service said. The city’s Police Department urged motorists to watch out for downed trees and power lines on roads.

In Chicago, the CTA reported train service delays due to debris on the tracks as the storms moved in from the west over the city. The severe weather lasted about an hour or two in any spot, the weather service said.

The storms are part of a cold front that will end a record-breaking seven straight days of 70-degree November weather, blowing past the previous five-straight days of similar weather in 1953.

Chicago residents could wake up Wednesday to a windchill in the 20s, according to the National Weather Service.

Gusts up to 45 mph will continue until midnight as temperatures keep dropping.

Meanwhile, temperatures will plummet overnight, making Wednesday morning feel between 40 and 50 degrees cooler than Tuesday, weather service meteorologist Todd Kluber said.

Wednesday’s high is forecast near 50 degrees.