Hurricane-force winds were also reported in parts of the area. Wind gusts topped out at 81 mph in Valparaiso, Indiana, 75 mph in Lakes of the Four Seasons in Indiana, and 74 mph in Gary, Indiana, and Lynwood, Illinois.

Hail and massive wind gusts pelted the Chicago area as severe thunderstorms rumbled through Sunday afternoon. The system had prompted a tornado watch covering most of northeastern Illinois and northwest Indiana, but the National Weather Service canceled it by 3:15 p.m. with storms rolling out over Lake Michigan.

The tornado watch is in effect till 7 p.m. for Chicago, the surrounding south and west suburbs and northwest Indiana. The National Weather Service warns of tornadoes, hail the size of ping-pong balls and 70 mph winds.

Strong winds uprooted trees, downed power lines, and damaged several homes, splitting one in half in Roselawn.

The Chicago area could see strong-to-severe thunderstorms on Sunday, with damaging winds and isolated tornadoes possible according to forecast models.

Stronger storms are possible Tuesday night, and more rounds of showers and storms move into the area Wednesday.

Some parts of the Chicago area saw wind gusts in excess of 70 miles per hour as powerful thunderstorms hammered the region Sunday.

The Storm Prediction Center has areas southeast of I-55 in an "Enhanced Risk," this is a level 3 of 5 on their severe risk scale. Locations near and along I-55 are in a "Slight Risk" (level 2 of 5), and then north and northwest portions of Chicagoland are in a "Marginal Risk" (level 1/5).

CHICAGO - Today will feature different types of severe weather threats throughout the midday and afternoon hours. Fox 32 Meteorologist Mark Strehl has the forecast for Sunday. Temperatures began in the 60s throughout much of the Chicago area reaching into the 70s in some spots later.