24-07-2025
Afternoon thunderstorms knock out power to more than 50K customers
Afternoon thunderstorms moving through the area gave a brief reprieve from the extreme heat that had plagued the city since last week but triggered more than a thousand power outages affecting nearly 50,000 customers.
As of 5:09 p.m., Comed had 1,055 reported outages, affecting 51,210 Cook County.
The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning Thursday afternoon, warning of strong wind gusts.
Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues for Chicago IL, Cicero IL and Oak Lawn IL until 3:30 PM CDT. This storm will contain wind gusts to 70 MPH!
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) July 24, 2025According to Tom Dominguez, a spokesperson for ComEd, a spike in outages came as a result of the strong winds. 'We already have recovery efforts underway,' Dominguez said Thursday afternoon.
ComEd dispatched repair teams to power sites and will prioritize critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, police and fire stations and water management facilities. Afterwards, it will begin working on the affected sites that supply power to the most people. Dominguez did not have an estimate of how long the repairs would take.
Dominguez also advised Chicagoans to be wary of downed power lines and recommended that anyone who sees a fallen line should call ComEd.
'Always assume that they're still energized, do not get near them or touch them,' he said.
Thursday's sudden and heavy rainfall was short-lived, with showers clearing by 4 p.m. The National Weather Service was not expecting more rain Thursday afternoon, though there could be some lighter showers after sunset, into Friday morning, according to meteorologist Lee Carlaw.
A cold front followed the storms, and Friday was expected to be cooler. 'The conditions will be notably more comfortable tomorrow than today,' Carlaw said.
The severe heat, however, will return Sunday and last into Monday, possibly surpassing 100 degrees.
