Much of the Chicago area is under a heightened risk for severe storms Thursday, which, if they develop, could pose a threat to concertgoers at Soldier Field for the first of Beyoncé’s multi-night stay in the city.
The region was upgraded to an “enhanced” risk of severe weather, a level three out of five, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
“We’ve got many of our counties under this three out of five risk for severe storms. That includes Cook, Lake, McHenry, even down into parts of Lake and Porter as well across parts of northwest Indiana,” NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Iisha Scott said. “That risk does fall off as you head farther to the south and west.”
According to forecasters, any storms that do develop are likely to become strong to severe. But what still remains uncertain is whether or not the storms will develop at all.
“There’s also the chance that none of these storms develop over our area until they get farther off to the east. We’re going to watch things evolve and develop,” Scott said. “I would be prepared that if some of those storms do develop that some of those will likely be on the severe side… we’re going to be watching things pretty closely as we get into Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening.”
Should storms pop up in the Chicago area, the biggest risks will likely be “destructive” hail and damaging wind gusts, though the chance for a tornado can’t be ruled out.
The timing window for potential storms ranges anywhere from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
“A conditional threat of severe storms exists Thursday afternoon and evening. If storms develop, at least a few are likely to become severe,” the NWS wrote on X. “Large, destructive hail is the primary concern with these storms, but damaging winds and tornadoes will also be possible.”
Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter and the Rodeo Chitlin’ Circuit Tour” is set to begin three nights of performances at Soldier Field starting Thursday.
The storms would come on the tail end of what could be near-record warmth in Chicago Thursday.
Temperatures are expected to soar to near-90 degrees, almost 20 degrees above average for the day. The record for Thursday, set in 1962, is 91 degrees.
But the heat won’t last long.
Friday looks to remain warmer, with temperatures in the 80s, before a cooldown this weekend.
The NWS warns there could be an elevated fire risk Friday as high winds and low humidity mix with the warm temperatures.
By Saturday and Sunday, temperatures return to the 70s.
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