February made a frigid statement Wednesday morning after a stormy night across portions of northern Illinois with thunderstorms, reports of tornadoes and drastic temperature drops.
Before the weather swing Tuesday, people across Chicagoland enjoyed mid-70 degree temperatures registered at both Chicago airports. But by late afternoon, the threat of severe weather woke many from warm weather dreams, a reminder that it was February.
While the National Weather Service has yet to post verified tornado touchdowns, warnings rang out in portions of northeast Illinois Tuesday after 9 p.m. Thunderstorms with lightning, strong winds and hail made their way across Chicago as the temperature plunged.
Current conditions at O’Hare International Airport is overcast at 26 degrees, with a windchill of negative five degrees. At Midway Airport, conditions are the same at 28 degrees with a windchill of negative 2 degrees, weather officials reported.
As predicted by NWS meteorologists, temperatures plummeted to 20 to 30 degrees with gusts up to 45 mph, and by Wednesday morning temperatures in the 20s arrived.
Thursday, officials are expecting temps to increase to the low 40s.
