Thursday Storm Potential

Thursday will be another day to stay weather aware with strong storms possible across the Stateline in the late afternoon and evening.

We're watching a low pressure system that is currently over southern Minnesota that will quickly strengthen and deepen as it moves into Wisconsin this afternoon. In response to that a warm front will lift across northern Illinois and is forecast to make it to Wisconsin. We need to pay close attention to where this warm front stalls because it will be the focal point for potential super cell development. The highest wind shear (winds changing direction with high) with be found closest to the low pressure and warm front intersection, this is where a few isolated tornadoes will be possible.

For northern Illinois strong to severe storms are still possible, but the main threats will be potentially strong damaging winds, large hail, and heavy downpours.


While we will have showers and storms this morning, the strong to severe threat goes up later this afternoon when upper level winds strengthen from the west. At the surface winds will be out of the south as the warm front passes to the north, and upper level winds will be from the west.  This wind shear will fuel storms this afternoon and evening. The time frame we want to stay weather aware will be between about 4-9pm this evening.

We'll make sure to keep you posted with storm potential through the day.