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Just as Chicago-area residents were beginning to clean up debris and restore power from Wednesday night’s destructive winds and storms, a new and even more dangerous round of severe weather is bearing down — this time with a rare “moderate risk” of tornadoes.

The Storm Prediction Center has issued a level 4 out of 5 moderate risk for much of the region, signaling a heightened threat of damaging winds, large hail, and rotating storms capable of producing tornadoes. A high wind warning is already in effect for several counties until 4 p.m., warning of gusts exceeding 60 mph that could cause further tree damage, structural issues, and travel disruptions.

Adding to the concern, the National Weather Service has also issued a flood watch for the entire Chicago area, with rainfall rates potentially reaching 1 to 3 inches per hour — raising the risk of flash flooding in already saturated and storm-damaged neighborhoods.

ComEd crews are still working frantically to restore electricity to more than 130,000 customers knocked out by Wednesday’s storms, even as new threats emerge. The combination of high humidity, warm temperatures, and slow-moving storms could lead to repeated heavy downpours over the same areas.

This back-to-back assault on the Chicago region highlights just how vulnerable major metropolitan areas remain when powerful storm systems roll through in quick succession. With hundreds of thousands still in the dark and cleanup efforts barely underway, the upgraded tornado risk has many residents on edge — especially after Wednesday’s powerful gusts caused widespread destruction.

The situation serves as a sobering reminder of the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. As forecasters warn of another volatile evening, communities are once again being forced to balance recovery with preparation, hoping this latest round passes without adding to the growing list of damage and outages.