Powerful storms threaten Chicago, Minneapolis, and Milwaukee

In the Midwest, including cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, and Milwaukee, millions of people are preparing for potentially severe thunderstorms at the start of the workweek. The forecast indicates the possibility of large hail, damaging wind gusts, and even tornadoes. The severity of the weather threat on Monday is uncertain, with the FOX Forecast Center mentioning a potential atmospheric "cap" that could hinder storm development by trapping rising air. The NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has raised the risk of severe weather for parts of the Midwest, with over 7 million people in a Level 3 out of 5 risk zone, including cities like Minneapolis and Milwaukee. Additionally, nearly 19 million others are in a Level 2 risk zone, encompassing cities such as Duluth and Davenport. The threats include tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds that could cause significant damage. While most of Minnesota will be out of the severe weather threat on Tuesday, cities like Chicago and Milwaukee will still face a Level 2 out of 5 risk. More than 21 million people are in this risk zone, with cities like Des Moines and Fort Wayne included. Furthermore, around 35 million people in cities such as Kansas City and Detroit should remain vigilant as strong to severe thunderstorms are possible. In Chicago, a storm threat is being tracked for the early morning hours of Tuesday, with the potential for damaging winds and heavy rain, especially near the Wisconsin border. The timing suggests the threat will persist through the morning rush hour. CBS 2 Meteorologist David Yeomans has provided a forecast for the evening, highlighting the development of storms by daybreak and the possibility of strong to severe weather with a low of 72 degrees.