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Wednesday Chicago Faces EF-2 Tornado Threat, 70 mph Winds

6/18/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Meteorologists warn Wednesday could bring long-track EF-2 tornadoes in southern Chicago counties and nearby Indiana.
The Storm Prediction Center’s June 16, 2026 outlook places Chicago under Level 4, 3 and 2 tornado risk and predicts thunderstorms with heavy rain and wind gusts over 60 mph.
A storm from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. could spawn tornadoes and 70 mph gusts, leading officials to lift the O’Hare ground stop and advise residents to charge phones and brace for outages.

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Story summary

Meteorologists warn Wednesday could bring long-track EF-2 tornadoes in southern Chicago counties and nearby Indiana.
The Storm Prediction Center’s June 16, 2026 outlook places Chicago under Level 4, 3 and 2 tornado risk and predicts thunderstorms with heavy rain and wind gusts over 60 mph.
A storm from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. could spawn tornadoes and 70 mph gusts, leading officials to lift the O’Hare ground stop and advise residents to charge phones and brace for outages.