The city reached a record-breaking 93 degrees Thursday, topping the previous May 15 record of 91 degrees set in 1961.

Cities such as Chicago, Minneapolis and Milwaukee are at risk for a severe weather outbreak, forecasters said.

A wide swath of the Midwest and Plains states is under a tornado watch and severe weather conditions are forecast to persist into next week, the National Weather service said Thursday.

An outbreak of severe weather spawned numerous thunderstorm warnings and wind gusts in excess of 70 miles per hour in some locations.

A busy stretch of severe thunderstorms is underway due to record heat and now the threats are ramping up, putting major metro areas from Chicago to Nashville under threat as the country hits the peak of tornado season. Storms raked Chicagoland on Thursday afternoon with heavy downpours and hail.

Possible tornadoes ripped down trees and power lines in three states Thursday, and severe weather soaked a Beyoncé concert in Chicago and sent the crowd in cowboy hats seeking cover, officials said.