Is Chicago Area Getting A White Christmas?
A storm moving through the Gulf Coast on Tuesday should make its way to the Midwest on Wednesday, and bring a very thin band of heavy snow with it as temperatures drop below freezing.
Watch CBS News
A storm moving through the Gulf Coast on Tuesday should make its way to the Midwest on Wednesday, and bring a very thin band of heavy snow with it as temperatures drop below freezing.
Chicagoans could be easily excused for feeling as if they are constantly walking under a dark cloud.
This year has not only been one of the coldest in Chicago, it is also one of the few places on the entire planet that was colder than average this year.
This is the week when the heavy coats, gloves and mittens are out of the closet and here to stay for the next several months.
The high at 7:15 a.m. was expected to be 47 degrees -- one degree lower than the lowest high set on Oct. 4, 1935, National Weather Service Meteorologist Kevin Donofrio said.
Rain fell steadily across the Chicago area Wednesday morning, and though the storm system has begun clearing out as it heads east, more rain could be on the way Wednesday evening.
Some potentially strong thunderstorms were bearing down on the Chicago area Thursday morning, and could bring torrential rain, frequent lightning strikes, and winds of up to 50 mph.
Heavy rains have caused major flooding across much of the Chicago area overnight, especially in the southwest suburbs, where at least two school districts were forced to cancel classes at all its schools.
Several inches of rain fell across the Chicago area overnight, particularly on the South and Southwest sides, prompting road closures and CTA delays.
Parts of the Eisenhower Expressway were closed for more than four hours and part of the CTA's Blue Line was shut down temporarily early Tuesday because of flooding from storms.
High waves on Lake Michigan have prompted a warning for boaters and swimmers, due to potentially deadly currents on the water.
Hot and humid conditions in the Chicago area on Tuesday could spark a severe thunderstorm by the end of the day, before giving way to much milder conditions on Wednesday.
Residents in much of Chicagoland typically ride out a tornado warning for anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes, according to data from the National Weather Service.
As of late Tuesday morning, the official temperature in Chicago was only 64 degrees, which is the normal low for mid-July. The average temperature for July 15 is 74 in Chicago, and the normal high is 85, according to the National Weather Service.
Monday's deluge resulted in isolated flooding, but four Chicago area rivers remain near their flood stage, according to the National Weather Service.
Tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the Chicago area were still without power Wednesday morning, more than a day after two severe storms pummeled the region.
Last night's storms were the equivalent of a boxer throwing a stiff jab followed by a devastating hook.
The NWS confirms two brief EF-1 tornadoes occurred Monday evening, with one near the town of Earlville and the second in Plainfield.
A line of severe thunderstorms hit the Chicago area Monday, causing power outages, flight cancellations and delays and other problems. By late Monday, a second wave of storms was expected.
CBS 2 Meteorologist Ed Curran reports a tornado watch had been issued for several counties in northern Illinois early Tuesday, but it was later cancelled several hours earlier than scheduled as the system fell apart in Illinois, and the heaviest storms moved into Wisconsin.
Though some of the flooding from Monday's thunderstorms has receded, the Des Plaines River was still overflowing its banks on Wednesday, and the North Branch of the Chicago River was near flood stage in some areas, with more rain on the way Wednesday evening.
Heavy rainfall from a series of thunderstorms that moved through the Chicago area on Monday and early Tuesday left several roads impassable, and many basements flooded, especially in the northern suburbs, where the rain was heaviest.
After the storms swept through the area, nearly 9,000 ComEd customers in the west, southwest and south suburbs were left without power, according to ComEd. The majority of outages were reported near Harvey in Blue Island, where more than 6,300 customers were without power Sunday night.
Researchers looked at 60 years worth of climatological data from the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center, and found tornadoes touch down most often in "transition zones" – areas where a dramatic change in landscape takes place.
Monday night's snowfall dropped 1.4 inches at O'Hare International Airport, pushing the seasonal total to 82 inches, just shy of the 2nd most seasonal snowfall for Chicago – when 82.3 inches fell in the winter of 1977-78.
A Chicago-based DJ from Colombia and his partner are in ICE custody on Sunday, federal immigration officials confirmed.
When someone falls into the Chicago River, jumps from a bridge, overturns a kayak, or becomes trapped beneath the surface, the Chicago Fire Department's Marine Unit is often among the first crews called to respond.
The movies have gone to the dogs. As part of a multi-city screening, ChiTown Drive-In hosted a dog-friendly screening of Air Bud with a sneak peek at the upcoming sequel Air Bud Returns.
Chicago area officials are taking extra precautions following a wave of cyberattacks on water and wastewater facilities in multiple states, including Michigan.
The family of the man killed in a double homicide last week in south suburban Harvey said he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, helping a neighbor with a violent ex.
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch is apologizing for his interactions with a former staff member who brought a sexual harassment complaint against ex-Rep. Harry Benton to his office.
In a CBS News Chicago exclusive, Willie Wilson said he is making another run for mayor in 2027, becoming the 10th candidate to enter the race.
A Dane County judge ruled Tuesday that Wisconsin's paper-only absentee ballot system denies disabled voters the equal opportunity to vote privately and independently, though a trial on electronic voting as a remedy is still ahead.
The Milwaukee mosque leader's former Israeli attorney testified in immigration court that Sarsour was coerced into confessions and was never convicted of any charge linking him to a terrorist organization.
Former state health official Abdul El-Sayed faced Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic Senate primary in Michigan in a closely watched contest that represented the latest test of the party's divisions.
The Trump administration is taking aim at power grid operator PJM Interconnection over rising electricity bills that affect Illinois and Indiana residents.
Chicago remained the most bed bug-treated city in the country, according to Orkin's latest annual rankings covering a full year of residential and commercial treatment data.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul this week warned residents cleaning up from last month's storms to be on the lookout for scams.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed several new consumer protections into law, including a ban on junk fees.
CBS News Chicago has learned that Illinois home insurance premiums are not only higher than the nation's average, but going up faster too.
With the cyclosporiasis linked to iceberg lettuce growing and consumers wary of the products on grocery shelves, many in Chicago are turning to local farmers market for fresh and safe greens.
East Chicago, Indiana is being placed on a precautionary boil water advisory starting Monday morning for planned installations that could affect water safety.
A new Northwestern Medicine study on long COVID shows women show more neurological symptoms than men.
A lettuce supplier to fast-food giant Taco Bell has been linked to a nationwide cyclosporiasis outbreak that has sickened thousands of people, the CDC said.
Chicago just barely made the top 20 in the American College of Sports Medicine's 2026 ranking of the country's fittest cities.
While the building that housed the flagship Ann Sather restaurant on Belmont Avenue has been torn down, the renowned Chicago restaurant chain is now set to open a new Lakeview location.
Nationally, data centers used 17.4 billion gallons of water in 2023 — a figure projected to reach 72.6 billion gallons by 2028, raising concerns about states' water supplies.
Chicago's Wishbone Restaurant will soon be closing after 36 years in business.
The Old Town Pour House isn't in its namesake neighborhood anymore, but it's returning to the central area of Chicago — specifically in the Loop.
Stella's Diner in Chicago's East Lakeview community has gone out of business.
Crews need about a week and a half to tear down the festival site before the city can begin its own inspection — and past cleanup costs have topped $1 million.
Vincent Pastore played Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on all six seasons of "The Sopranos," which aired from 1999 to 2007.
If weather forces an evacuation, shelter sites are located at Grant Park North, Grant Park South, and Millennium Lakeside Garages, accessible through the vehicle entrance on Michigan Avenue.
Grant Park was filled with tens of thousands of people Thursday for the start of Lollapalooza, as warm weather greeted festivalgoers on day one of the four-day music festival.
Academy Award-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard has died in a motorcycle crash.
A Chicago-based DJ from Colombia and his partner are in ICE custody on Sunday, federal immigration officials confirmed.
Qdoba and Chipotle have removed jalapeños from their restaurants amid a salmonella outbreak that has affected at least 27 states, including Illinois.
Meteorologist Laura Bannon has the extended forecast.
Chief meteorologist Albert Ramon has the latest First Alert Weather forecast.
When someone falls into the Chicago River, jumps from a bridge, overturns a kayak, or becomes trapped beneath the surface, the Chicago Fire Department's Marine Unit is often among the first crews called to respond.
A Chicago DJ from Colombia and his partner are in ICE custody, federal immigration officials confirmed.
At least 345 people — the majority in Colorado and Minnesota — have been sickened by a salmonella outbreak, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When someone falls into the Chicago River, jumps from a bridge, overturns a kayak, or becomes trapped beneath the surface, the Chicago Fire Department's Marine Unit is often among the first crews called to respond.
The movies have gone to the dogs. As part of a multi-city screening, ChiTown Drive-In hosted a dog-friendly screening of Air Bud with a sneak peek at the upcoming sequel Air Bud Returns.
Chicago area officials are taking extra precautions following a wave of cyberattacks on water and wastewater facilities in multiple states, including Michigan.
An Illinois Tollway glitch that left thousands of drivers with unexpected warnings about unpaid tolls stemmed from an extra digit in codes within the system's computers, according to records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.
A South Holland woman said she was left high and dry after paying thousands of dollars to have her swimming pool fixed, only for the contractor to vanish.
An Elgin man has seen what he thought was the deal of a lifetime turn into weeks of frustration after a fake tracking number scam left him without goods or a refund after buying a game system on eBay.
Nationally, data centers used 17.4 billion gallons of water in 2023 — a figure projected to reach 72.6 billion gallons by 2028, raising concerns about states' water supplies.
A clean energy initiative on the South Side of Chicago is increasing access to solar energy and electric vehicle charging stations, and community members say it's making a difference.
Wilyer Abreu homered for the fourth time in three games and the surging Red Sox beat the White Sox 4-0 on Wednesday night.
Chicago Bears right tackle Darnell Wright is very grateful for his historic four-year, $116 million contract extension. Wright thanked general manager Ryan Poles, who used his first 1st round draft pick to pick Wright 10th overall in 2023.
Chicago State University's new football team is just a couple weeks away from the first game of the Cougars' inaugural season.
Pete Crow-Armstrong homered twice and drove in four runs, and the Chicago Cubs swept Shohei Ohtani and the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers with a wild 7-6 victory.
The Chicago Bears held a short and light practice Wednesday without pads, but it marked the return of linebacker T.J. Edwards.
The Milwaukee mosque leader's former Israeli attorney testified in immigration court that Sarsour was coerced into confessions and was never convicted of any charge linking him to a terrorist organization.
A woman stood charged Tuesday with stabbing a man during a fight in Chicago's East Garfield Park neighborhood this past weekend.
An Illinois State Police trooper who has been arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a bartender in southwest suburban Tinley Park will remain behind bars as he awaits trial.
Thieves stole an ATM from a gas station in Chicago's Roseland community early Monday.
Two young men and a teenage boy were shot and wounded early Monday in Chicago's Park Manor community.
