Editor's Note: The latest update on power outages and storm damage for Friday, May 16 can be found here. Our original story continues below.
A series of powerful thunderstorms blew through the Chicago area, delaying a major concert, snapping trees and leaving thousands of people in the dark.
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WATCH HEREAccording to ComEd, more than 80,000 Illinois residents were left without power after the severe storms swept through the region, with the majority of those residing in Cook County.
There, wind gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour were reported across the county, including in the city of Chicago.
Beyoncé's show at Soldier Field was delayed several hours because of the powerful thunderstorms, with music fans asked to remain in the concourses at the venue as the storms blew through the region.
The storms also briefly caused a ground stop at O'Hare International Airport, with residual delays reported throughout the evening.
Trees were snapped in half, branches were knocked down and power was knocked out to numerous residents in the city and nearby suburbs, but Chicago was far from alone in that department.
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Multiple wind gusts of nearly 70 miles per hour were reported in DeKalb County, and the ferocious winds knocked down traffic lights in suburban Lombard.
Branches were broken, trees snapped in half and roof damage was reported in an area of Manhattan near Sweedler Road and Gougar Road after the storms tore through Will County, officials said.
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SIGN UP Large hail was also present all around the area, especially in Lake County in Illinois, where golf ball-size hail was reported in Winthrop Harbor and Gurnee, according to trained weather spotters.
Lake County also saw plenty of wind damage, with a tree smashing into a house in Antioch.
The severe storms continued to march to the east, causing severe thunderstorm warnings and tree damage in Northwest Indiana, with more than 20,000 customers in the dark according to NIPSCO.
Even after the storms passed through, more risks will loom in the forecast on Friday. A red flag warning will be in effect across northern Illinois as the humidity plunges to as low as 20%, while winds will whip up with gusts in excess of 45 miles per hour at times, according to the National Weather Service.
In addition, more severe weather could occur in the afternoon and evening hours, with Kankakee County and most of northern Indiana at a “slight” risk of severe storms. The rest of the Chicago area, including the city itself, will be at a slightly lower “marginal” risk.
Still, gusty winds and damaging hail could occur within any storms that develop, and a tornado cannot be ruled out, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
