A flood watch is in effect until 1 p.m. Sunday in the Chicago area, as severe thunderstorms move through northeast and north central Illinois this morning, according to the National Weather Service Chicago.
Severe thunderstorms caused major damage in downtown Joliet just after 8:30 am Sunday morning.
The roof of the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 was ripped off. Joliet Junior College Downtown Campus and The Forge music venue also appear to have been impacted, according to the Joliet Weather Center. Joliet police are using drones to investigate the damage.
This morning’s rain will make Sunday afternoon hot and muggy, with a high of 93 degrees and a heat index near 100 degrees.
An additional wave of thunderstorms is expected to roll through after 7 p.m. and continue overnight.
“This round of storms could end up being severe and bring a renewed potential for flooding,” said National Weather Service Chicago meteorologist Rafal Ogorek.
The heat will also continue into Monday, with a high near 95 degrees and heat index value expected to peak at 105 degrees. It is expected to be partly cloudy all day, but thunderstorms are likely in the evening.
