Dangerous swimming conditions in wake of storm

Update 2:50 a.m. 6/13: Evanston appears to have escaped significant damage from a wave of severe storms that swept through the Chicago area Wednesday evening.

While Commonwealth Edison reported thousands of customers still without power at this hour, most of the customers affected are in the south suburbs, notably in Chicago Heights, and no outages are reported now in Evanston.

City officials, after spending the early evening at the city’s Emergency Operations Center, closed that facility about 9 p.m.

City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz said the worst of the storm appeared to have passed to the north and south of the city, although call volume to the city’s 311 service was about double the normal level on Wednesday.

The National Weather Service says Evanston remains under a flash flood watch until 4 a.m. Thursday and is warning of expected hazardous conditions at beaches in the area from 5 a.m. Thursday through Friday afternoon.

High waves and dangerous swimming conditions with rip tides are expected.

Update 7:38 p.m.: City Manager Wally Bobkiewicz reports that Evanston city staff members have been monitoring weather conditions from city’s Emergency Operations Center since 6 p.m.

Weather conditions in Evanston remain calm with serious storm cells moving to the north and south of the city.

Bobkiewicz says weather forecasts indicate that additional storm cells could impact Evanston between now and 9 p.m.

Update 6:48 p.m.: The severe thunderstorm warning for Evanston ended as of 6:45 p.m., but a severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 1 a.m.

In addition a flash flood watch is in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday.

The National Weather Service says some storms could be severe, with large hail, damaging winds, and heavy rain.