The Chicago area is bracing for severe weather on Tuesday night, with the National Weather Service issuing a warning for damaging wind gusts and the potential development of tornadoes in the late evening hours.
According to a hazardous weather outlook released on Tuesday afternoon, NWS officials are cautioning about an “elevated tornado risk” as storms are expected to race across Iowa and Missouri before crossing the Mississippi River into Illinois this afternoon.
While these storms may “outrace” the front heading towards the region, they are still expected to maintain their organization and bring a variety of severe weather threats.
These threats include the possibility of tornadoes and wind gusts exceeding 75 miles per hour in some areas, according to officials.
The Storm Prediction Center has designated all of northeastern Illinois and northwest Indiana as an “enhanced” risk for severe weather, the third of five categories used to estimate the likelihood of severe storms.
In fact, the SPC estimates a 10% chance of tornado formation within a 25-mile radius in Chicago’s western suburbs, including McHenry, DeKalb, Kane, LaSalle, Kendall, and Grundy counties. This chance decreases to 5% in Lake, Cook, DuPage, and Will counties, with a non-zero chance of tornadoes in the rest of the area.
The highest risk for tornadic activity is along and west of Interstate 39, although tornadoes could potentially form anywhere in the area.
The biggest threat, however, is gusty winds, with some areas potentially experiencing wind gusts in excess of 75 miles per hour. The current estimate from the SPC indicates a 30% chance of wind gusts exceeding 50 miles per hour within a 25-mile radius.
The timeline for storm activity is expected to be between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m., with cooler temperatures arriving behind the front as it moves through.
Even if severe storms do not directly impact certain areas, strong winds could still gust up to 40-50 miles per hour, according to officials.
To stay updated on the latest forecast news and receive push alerts for watches and warnings in your area, be sure to download the NBC Chicago app.
In the event of a tornado warning, NBC Chicago will provide the latest information and will also be available on the NBC Chicago app and various streaming platforms, such as Roku and Xumo.
It is important to stay informed and prepared for severe weather, and the NBC Chicago team is dedicated to providing the most up-to-date information to keep our community safe.
Remember to stay safe and take necessary precautions during severe weather, and always have a plan in place in case of an emergency. Let’s all work together to stay safe and weather the storm.
