It's Gonna Get Windy...Be Ready!

Noon Update: Going forecast still looks on track.  Expecting a squall line of storms to develop along cold front during the early morning hours Tuesday, roughly around 3am - give or take.  As these storms roll through we're still looking at the potential for strong winds as the Storm Prediction Center has most of northern Illinois/southern Wisconsin highlighted in a slight risk.  Once this front passes, it will be quick, look for sustained winds Tuesday afternoon around 35-40 mph with gusts in excess of 50 mph!   

11:00 am Update:  Will have conference call with the Weather Service in about a half an hour to discuss the severe potential and wind threat.  Details will soon follow!

10:00 am: We've got a lot to talk about in the weather department today.  Our quiet weather will soon be replaced by some very gusty winds in the next couple of days.  A very strong storm system is currently taking shape across the northern and central Plains this morning and is forecast to move into the Upper Great Lakes by Wendesday morning.  As it does, the pressure will drop dramatically creating some very strong winds Tuesday and Wendesday.  We typically call this "Explosive Cyclogenesis" because the pressure will change over a short amount of time.  High Wind Watches and Warnings have already been issued for Wisconsin and Illinois in anticipation of winds

that could gust close to 60 mph!  Power outages and damage are possible Tuesday afternoon.

Another thing we have to be on the lookout for will be a cold front slated to move through by Tuesday morning.  There may just be enough instability and shear to get a few stronger storms going by daybreak.  If this were to occur the main threat would be for damaging winds. 

By Tuesday afternoon the front will have moved to the east and we will likely dry-slot (where dry air gets wrapped into the backside of a storm system).  This could potentially be where our strongest winds come from.  Make sure you put anything that can fly around (like garbage cans, outdoor furniture, etc) inside later today.  Because chances are if you leave it out you won't see it again!  North/south roads will likely be difficult to travel especially if you have a high profile vehicle.