Downpours of rain and ping pong ball-sized hail accompanied by roaring thunder and fierce lightning ripped through the region Thursday night — quenching the area's thirst for precipitation.

The dry weather spell was broken in southeastern Cook County and Northwest Indiana as temperatures had soared into the 100s Thursday afternoon.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning spanning throughout the middle of Lake County south of Interstate 80.

Officials warned residents to stay indoors due to ground-to-sky lightning bolts, according to the NWS website. A Lansing resident reported a tree in his yard was annihilated by a lightning bolt during the storm.

Winds were expected produce gusts up to 60 miles per hour, and branches were found in roads, yards and on rooftops.

About 1,700 NIPSCO customers were without power in Crown Point. Hebron residents reported more than 800 customers without power. Areas such as Valparaiso and Hammond experienced minor power outages scattered throughout the areas.

Earlier in the day, scorching temperatures peaked around 100 degrees across the region before the storm. Forecasters predict weekend temperatures to hover in the low 90s with slight chances of rain.

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