Thousands without power, trees uprooted by powerful Chicago-area winds

Thousands of customers in Illinois and Indiana are without power, and storm damage has been reported as ferocious winds batter the region.

According to the latest updates from ComEd, more than 1,600 customers are without power across the Chicago area, with crews working to restore electricity as wind gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour continue to roar through the region.

More than 2,400 customers in Indiana were without power, primarily in the northwestern portion of the state, NIPSCO reported Wednesday afternoon.

Flight delays and cancellations were also reported at both Chicago airports, with delays of more than half an hour and at least 50 cancellations reported by the Chicago Department of Aviation.

Those impacts were felt as wind gusts continued across the region, with a wind advisory remaining in effect until the late evening on Wednesday.

A gust of 66 miles per hour was reported in Michigan City, Indiana on Wednesday, one of several in excess of that speed across the region. A gust of 60 mph was reported at Midway Airport, according to the National Weather Service, and a 60 mph gust was reported at the Harrison-Dever Crib along Lake Michigan.

Gusts of over 50 miles per hour were reported in numerous locations, including in Romeoville, Batavia and Valparaiso, according to NWS reports.

A large tree was uprooted near Columbus Manor Elementary in Oak Lawn, and other trees were downed across the area due to the strong winds.

Those wind gusts are expected to continue late into the evening Wednesday, slowly easing through the remainder of the work week, according to forecast models. Those winds could be accompanied by some snow across the area, though accumulations aren’t expected Wednesday.

Wind chills are also expected to remain frigid, dropping into the teens for the Thanksgiving holiday, according to the NBC 5 Storm Team.

The big chance of snow will arrive late Friday and into Saturday, with western suburbs potentially seeing six or more inches of accumulation, according to forecast models. Areas to the south of Chicago may see slightly lower accumulations, though there is also a chance that some snow could transition to rain in the late afternoon and early evening, depending on how far northward warmer air pushes during that timeframe.

Be sure to stay tuned to the NBC 5 Storm Team for all the latest weather news and information, and download the NBC Chicago app for real-time weather alerts sent directly to your phone.