Tornado weather warning issued for parts of US with golf-ball sized hail possible: map shows areas set to be affected by severe thunderstorms

A tornado weather warning was issued for parts of the US on Tuesday during the day and into the evening, as a powerful combination of rain, hail and tornadoes hit the Chicago area and severe storms hit Illinois.

Multiple tornadoes were reported amid tornado warnings and severe thunderstorm watches appearing one after another as the weather system moved east.

A tornado could be seen tearing through Gary in Indiana overnight as lightning lit up the sky.

Fierce lightning flashes could be seen overnight in video taken in Lake County, Illinois, while a tornado cone was visible in the flashing sky near Somonauk in drive-by footage.

Golf ball-sized hail was also reported, according to NBC Chicago.

The National Weather Service said in an update Wednesday: “A powerful storm will continue to bring flurries of showers and thunderstorms to much of the eastern United States today.”

A tornado could be seen tearing through Gary in Indiana overnight. Lightning was also seen over a building.

NSW Chicago said in a post on X on Tuesday: ‘Tornado warning including Hammond IN, Gary IN and Calumet City IL until 9:30pm CST’

‘Some of these storms will become severe and may produce heavy rainfall and locally damaging winds.

‘The risk of tornadoes will be significantly lower than Tuesday night. As a strong cold front moves east across the country, temperatures will drop 20, 40 and even 60 degrees from the previous day’s highs in the central states.’

He said lake-effect snow showers are forecast to spread across the Great Lakes and a new storm will bring more high-elevation rain and snow to the northwest.

The weather service noted that rain will develop in southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona.

Hail was also shown hitting the street in a residential area in Chicago on Tuesday night.

As the storm moves south into California over the weekend, meters of snow are forecast to fall in the Sierra Nevada.

A tornado warning remained in effect for Lake County until 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, NWS officials said.

Severe thunderstorm warnings were also in effect for nearly all of northeastern Illinois until 8:15 p.m., predicting possible wind gusts of more than 70 miles per hour and large hail.

The Storm Prediction Center upgraded the entire Chicago area to an “enhanced” risk for severe weather, noting there could be gusts of up to 60 miles per hour and hail up to two inches in diameter, as well as potentially “significant” tornadoes. .