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Thursday, April 25, 2024

Weather

Weather reports from Chicago and the suburbs.

A cicada on a flower.
Environment
Cicadas' mass arrival is just a few weeks away in northern Illinois, experts say
People have spotted nymphs of the 17-year cicadas on the ground. That’s a sign the periodical cicadas are preparing to emerge. They should appear once the soil reaches 64 degrees, which is expected by late May.
By Kade Heather
 
A woman shields herself from the rain as she crosses North Wabash Avenue near East Washington Street, in The Loop, as rain falls across the Chicagoland area, Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023.
News
Showers, winds move through Chicago Thursday; temperatures to cool down through the rest of the week
Rain started moving through the area and is expected to continue into Friday, according to meteorologist Zachary Wack with the National Weather Service.
By Sun-Times Wire
 
Green cherry trees with no pink blossoms are seen against a blue sky in Jackson Park.
News
Cherry blossom trees in Chicago skip blooming for second year in a row
The Chicago Park District said April’s cold and wet weather has kept the buds of 190 cherry blossom trees at Jackson Park from fully opening.
By Cindy Hernandez
 
umbrella West Side Chicago rain
Weather
Thunderstorms, strong winds move through Chicago, suburbs
A hazardous weather outlook, bringing gusty winds and showers, was in effect in Cook County on Tuesday evening, as well as much of northern Illinois and parts of northwest Indiana through midnight.
By Sun-Times Wire
 
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Transportation
Feds award Illinois $8.6 million grant to alleviate flooding on I-290, near Maywood
It’s one of 80 projects in 37 states, part of a new $830 million program for strengthening transportation systems against extreme weather events intensified by climate change.
By Violet Miller
 
Eliana Samson, 11, who is on vacation with her family from Toronto, looks up at the sun through binoculars at Adler Planetarium’s Eclipse Fest during the solar eclipse, Aug. 21, 2017. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times
News
Stars align for clear skies in Chicago for Monday's solar eclipse
Monday’s forecast for Chicago is “looking to be really good,” the National Weather Service said, with mostly sunny skies and a high near 66 degrees. Downstate Carbondale, in the eclipse’s path of totality, should have good visibility as well, meteorologists said.
By Emmanuel Camarillo
 
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News
Cloudy skies in Chicago area could impede view of the solar eclipse
A storm is expected to move from the southern Rockies to the Midwest Sunday and may leave some lingering clouds Monday.
By Cindy Hernandez
 
Lauren FitzPatrick’s garden
Chicago
Recent cold weather won’t harm your plants, but take precautions if chill worsens
Gardening pros say warm winters have led to early spring blooms in the Chicago area. Delicate flowers should be kept warm if temps linger below 20 degrees.
By Jessica Ma
 
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Weather
Two tornadoes briefly touch down in Kankakee County
One of the twisters was reported just west of Manteno, and the other north of Herscher, both around 2 p.m. Tuesday. No damage was reported.
By Sun-Times Wire
 
News
April showers bring ... snow? (And 'a really gloomy, crummy day')
Heavy downpours and gusty winds are expected to last through Tuesday, and rain will mix with snow Tuesday night — turning sidewalks and roads into a slushy mess. “It’ll be a really gloomy, crummy day” according to a National Weather Service meteorologist.
By Cindy Hernandez
 
Pedestrians on the Magnificent Mile use their hoods to shield their faces as a major winter storm, bringing freezing rain and wind gusts as high as 55 mph, moves through the Chicago area, Saturday afternoon, Jan. 11, 2020.
Weather
Wind gusts score some knockouts in Chicago area
Damage includes downed light pole, Cook County power outage amid recorded winds of 74 mph, the National Weather Service said.
By Kade Heather
 
Lightning strikes over the Chicago skyline, seen from Montrose Harbor on the North Side, as a severe storm passes through the area, Tuesday, Feb. 27.
News
Strong storms, gusty winds expected overnight into Tuesday in Chicago area
Rain will be accompanied by thunderstorms and strong winds that could reach up to 30 miles an hour, the National Weather Service. Temperatures Wednesday and Thursday will be in the 40s.
By Cindy Hernandez
 
Weather
Third full day of spring brings ‘banded’ snowstorm — with dusting in Chicago, dumping up north
While 1 inch of snow was measured at O’Hare Airport, up to 9 inches was dropped in the Rockford area and around 6 inches fell in McHenry and Lake counties on Friday.
By Sun-Times Wire
 
Three people stand at Lake Michigan as lightning brightens the night sky.
Weather
Chicago just misses record-high temperature as it celebrates its 187th birthday
O’Hare recorded a high of 72 degrees Monday, one degree shy of the record set in 1983, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Rafal Ogorek. Rockford broke its March 4 record of 71 degrees in 1983, with a high of 75.
By Violet Miller
 
Three people stand at Lake Michigan as lightning brightens the night sky.
Weather
Statewide tornado drill set for Wednesday morning
The tornado drill will be conducted by the National Weather Service at 11 a.m. Wednesday and will include use of emergency signals on radios, according to the weather service. The drill is part of Severe Weather Preparedness Week.
By Violet Miller
 
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Weather
February makes Chicago history as warmest on record
The average temperature last month was 39.5 degrees, topping the previous record of 39 degrees set in 1882.
By Kade Heather
 
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News
Tom Skilling's final forecast — longtime WGN-TV meteorologist signs off amid laughter and tears
Chicago’s beloved weatherman delivered his usual comprehensive report one last time on Wednesday’s 9 p.m. newscast.
By Miriam Di Nunzio
 
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Weather
11 tornadoes touched down in region Tuesday night, National Weather Service says
The roof and facade of a two-story apartment building in Mundelein were damaged, leaving 21 units uninhabitable and 59 people displaced on a day when the high temperature hit 74 at O’Hare and fell to the upper teens.
By Daily Herald and Kade Heather
 
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Weather
Chicago on pace to set record for warmest February
Chicago fell one degree short of the all-time daily record high for February on Tuesday, reaching 74 degrees at O’Hare Airport.
By Sophie Sherry
 
Weather
Temperatures plunge after severe storms, possible tornadoes hit Chicago area
Residents reported tornadoes touching down in Sugar Grove, Hinckley and Waterman. Chicago hit 74 degrees, missing the record by one degree.
By Kade Heather and Sophie Sherry
 
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