A Tornado Watch is in effect south of the Chicago area Wednesday evening, with the highest severe weather risk forecast from 2 to 6 p.m. The Chicago region is also under a Flood Watch until 9 p.m., while airport disruptions and local cleanup efforts continue a
Wednesday morning started with an updated warning and the kind of countdown that communities hate to hear: severe weather chances were already being mapped, and for many residents, the next hit could land before they’ve finished cleaning up the last one.
The Storm Prediction Center said areas south of the Chicago area were under a Level 3 risk for severe weather. while the rest of the Chicago area was under a Level 2 risk. By Wednesday evening. parts of central Illinois were under a Tornado Watch—covering areas including Kankakee. Kendall. and Will counties. and stretching into northwest Indiana.
The highest risk for severe weather. according to ABC7 AccuWeather meteorologists. was expected in the mid-to-late afternoon and evening—between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. That window includes high winds up to 70 mph and a risk of isolated tornadoes. After that, meteorologists said there could still be a few storms in the area from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Even as the tornado risk moved south, the threat wasn’t just about tornadoes. The entire Chicago area was under a Flood Watch until 9 p.m. Wednesday.
For travelers, the storms were already interrupting plans. A Ground Delay was in effect for O’Hare Airport. Over 200 flights were canceled at O’Hare, with delays of about 90 minutes. Nearly 100 flights have been canceled at Midway airport.
In the north suburbs, wind damage looked immediate and physical. Video in the Niles-Skokie area showed trees on top of cars during high wind gusts on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
Schools and routines shifted too. Illinois State University closed early at 2 p.m. because of the chance for severe weather.
Strong storms also left behind damage farther afield. A train was knocked off its tracks after strong storms blew through Monmouth, Illinois on Wednesday morning. It was not clear what caused the derailment, or if any injuries were reported.
The weather system is arriving as Illinois communities are still counting tornado losses from last week. The National Weather Service said last week’s severe weather in northern Illinois produced 17 tornadoes. bringing the total number of tornadoes in the state this year to 138—just four shy of the record. and with the month still well underway. The NWS described a tornado in Streator as an EF-3 that caused widespread damage to homes and businesses. The same week also included an EF-1 touchdown in Bartlett and Naperville, causing property damage, though not as severe.
Illinois climatologist Trent Ford called it a “remarkable unprecedented stretch of frequency of severe weather and tornadoes across the state.” He said Illinois is on the verge of breaking the number of tornadoes in the state for the third time in the last four years. The current record of 142 was set in 2024.
Meteorologists consider tornado season to generally run from April through June, but Ford said tornadoes can develop at any time of the year. Earlier this year in March, an EF-3 tornado ripped through Kankakee and Aroma Park—one of 12 in Illinois and northwest Indiana.
Ford pointed to long-term conditions that can increase the odds, while still describing the overall pattern as complicated. “Part of it is we’ve been in these patterns of variability of our weather that make for the right conditions at the right time in a contributions of a long-term trend. ” Ford said. He also framed it in plain terms: “So people can think of it as luck probably bad luck.” He added that climate models suggest the trend could continue. with environments leading to continued years of higher tornado activity.
For residents, the forecast isn’t abstract. Many are still living inside the aftermath as another storm window opens.
Al Mills was bracing for more storms Wednesday. “It happened so fast; it was about five seconds. ” he said. describing last week’s tornado damage that left his home. garage. and car in shambles. He said he hasn’t been able to fully recover. “I haven’t recovered from anything,” Mills said. “I mean, we have no power; there’s water coming in the basement from the rain. There’s been no recovery.”.
In Merrillville. Indiana. the next round of severe weather was expected to land when families are already exhausted from nearly a week of cleanup. It has been nearly a week since an EF-2 tornado with winds up to 135 mph hit the northwest Indiana town. causing extensive damage to hundreds of homes and businesses. The report said there were no serious injuries.
NIPSCO is still working to restore service for those who lost power because of the storms.
Wednesday morning. crews worked to secure the roof of a Catholic high school. while Thomas and Debra Avery tried to pump out rainwater already in their basement. Thomas Avery said everything inside was a total loss. “I just hope that I can keep the sump pump running where it’s not gonna flood again.,” he said. “I just got done getting all the water out; so I gotta keep this thing running.”.
Debra Avery said their effort was also carried by faith. “Just hope that everything’s OK,” she said. “I’ve just been praying that the Lord will keep us all safe over here in our neighborhoods cause we got some awesome neighbors.”
Local officials said they are on alert and ready to respond to emergencies. They encouraged residents to use their tornado recovery website to find helpful resources.
In Merrillville, the Living Hope Church planned to offer food assistance Wednesday afternoon for people who need it. The tornado recovery website is at merrillville.in.gov/tornado, described as available with helpful resources for residents there.
For communities already battered by wind, rain, and tornadoes, the message from Wednesday’s forecast was simple even when the details were complex: the watch shifted, the risk window narrowed and sharpened, and the cleanup cycle—already underway—was being asked to begin again.
Chicago weather forecast tornado watch flood watch severe weather O'Hare Ground Delay flight cancellations Merrillville tornado recovery NIPSCO Illinois climatologist Trent Ford
So it’s moving south now? Great. love that for us.
The headline says tornado watch shifts south but then it’s like Chicago is still dealing with it too?? I can’t tell if it’s worse or just different places. Also 2-6pm is when I’m finally driving home ugh.
Level 3 south of Chicago and Level 2 for Chicago… so basically Chicago’s safe right? Like if it’s lower level then it won’t be a big deal? My cousin said they’re doing “countdowns” now so people can prepare before it hits, but that doesn’t sound real lol.
Flood watch until 9pm too?? That’s the part nobody talks about. My street already had water last time and now they’re like high winds up to 70 mph… so which one is it, tornado or flooding? It feels like they just keep extending the danger and telling us to clean up faster. Kankakee and Will counties too, of course.