Today’s forecast: Thunderstorms will become numerous in the late afternoon and evening. Some of these storms could have a brief severe wind gust. We are also looking at another burst of storms Saturday and then hot weather kicking in next week.

ComEd reported more than 7,000 customers in DuPage County were without power as of around 4 p.m. Around 1,000 more were impacted across Chicago.

A flood watch has been issued for most of the area, excluding the Jersey Shore counties, from 3 p.m. today until 3 a.m. Thursday.

A heat-busting forecast is on tap for late Wednesday, but so is the potential for severe weather across Michigan.

Temperatures are going to jump Thursday as a warm airmass makes it way over the region, according to forecasters. A high of 90 is anticipated that day, but forecasters said it will feel like 100 with humidity. The Lehigh Valley will be under a heat advisory from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday.

While Thursday could see clear weather, a risk of thunderstorms could also bring with it a chance for damaging winds and tornadoes to develop in parts of Massachusetts.

A line of storms racing toward Chicago prompted Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for most area counties Wednesday afternoon. The greatest severe weather threat is hail, wind and isolated tornadoes.

As mentioned yesterday, we’re watching two rounds of showers and storms.