Illinois surpasses 160 tornadoes in 2026

It's been an incredibly active tornado season across the Illinois this year, with more than 160 preliminary tornado reports as of June 18th.

And given recent severe weather events, that number is likely still climbing. That total is 37 higher than all of last year and puts Illinois well ahead of the rest of the country, more than doubling Mississippi, which ranks second with 83 tornadoes. 

From early-season setups to multiple rounds of severe weather, the atmosphere has consistently favored storm development, fueling a prolonged stretch of frequent tornadic activity in recent years. And with the summer months still ahead, Illinois's tornado count will likely climb as we transition into M.C.S (mesoscale convective system) and Derecho season. 

Father’s Day Weekend: Sunshine first, then changes

Shower Chance Late:

Yesterday was about as good as it gets - a perfect 10 out of 10 with sunshine, comfortable temps, and a light westerly breeze. Today doesn't quite match that, but it's still solid - more like an 8.5 out of 10 as we look to stay dry for most of the day. However, a weak system diving in towards the evening will bring an increase in cloud cover and the chance for a few showers, possibly an isolated storm.   

Father's Day Weekend:

Father's Day weekend will have a great start. High pressure settles in Saturday, bringing plenty of sun and comfortable highs in the upper 70s. Sunday for Father's Day itself, looks quiet early on, but clouds will gradually increase as the day goes on, with chances building into the afternoon as a area of low pressure slides to our south. Temperatures will be a bit cooler, holding in the upper 60s.  

Sunday Severe?:

Thunderstorms will be possible, but the better ingredients for severe weather are expected to stay well to our south - roughly in the same areas that were impacted by Wednesday's tornadoes.  
 

Father's Day weekend: Seasonably cool with periodic rain

 This Father's Day weekend will not feature the heat and humidity we typically expect in mid-June, but scattered showers may be possible from time to time. High temperatures may get close to 80 degrees Friday and Saturday, but that is still below the average highs of low 80s that is typical for mid-June. Sunday will be even cooler with widespread rain and clouds.

Friday evening is not rain-free either. A few stray showers may be possible mainly after 6-7PM across the area. While rain will not fall very hard, it may be enough to dampen the ground and the grass where it falls. There is also a very limited chance for a stray rumble of thunder, maybe around 10% during the evening. Be sure to have an umbrella handy if you are outdoors!

While Saturday will be dry, Sunday will bring a much broader chance for shower and a few embedded storms. A large-scale low pressure system will track along Central Illinois, bringing a lot of moisture with it. While we are on the Northern end, widespread showers and even some thunderstorms will be likely starting Sunday morning, lasting through much of the day. All told, a few spots may get upwards of an inch or more of rain between Sunday and Sunday night!

If you have any outdoor plans for Father's Day weekend, Friday afternoon or Saturday will be your best windows for activities. Scattered rain chances will move in by Friday evening and then more widespread rain arrives Sunday. Happy Father's Day!

Severe potential fades across northern Illinois, quieter days ahead

Active Wednesday:

Yesterday's severe weather unfolded a bit differently than it could have, thanks in large part to a morning round of strong thunderstorms. 

This, like last Thursday, helped take the edge off the atmosphere across northern Illinois by overworking the air mass, limiting how unstable things could have become later in the day, ultimately pushing the more significant threat for severe weather to the south. While conditions were less favorable locally for widespread severe storms, the system still managed to produce one tornado in southern Wisconsin. Details on that tornado, including strength and exact path, will be evaluated in the coming day.  

Less Active Days Ahead 

In the wake of that system, we settle into a much quieter and more tranquil stretch of weather heading into the next couple of day. Partly cloudy skies will help make for a pleasant day overall, with a steady breeze out of the northwest keeping afternoon highs in check. Expect us to top out in the low 70s, still a good amount below late-June standards. While most of today stays dry, a weak system sliding in this evening could spark an isolated shower, but coverage remains limited and impacts minimal. 

Friday brings a subtle warm-up as winds shift more westerly, helping temperatures climb back into the upper 70s, much closer to where we should be for this time in June. Along with the warmer air, we'll also have a chance for a few scattered showers and storms during the afternoon. Coverage, like today, doesn't look to be widespread at this point. 
 
 

Old Settlers Days forecast: Isolated rain chances ahead

 Old Settlers Days will not feature the typical heat and humidity we expect from mid-June, but will have periodic chances for rain. Temperatures will range from the upper 60s Sunday to the upper 70s Saturday. There are a few slim chances for rain Thursday and Friday evenings, with higher coverage of rain possible Sunday.

The chances for rain Thursday and Friday evenings will be relatively limited, with only a few stray showers after 6PM each night. Rainfall does not look to come down very heavy, and many spots will be dry at any given time. But if you're heading out, you'll want to make sure you have the umbrella handy!

Better coverage of rain will be possible Sunday with a broader low-pressure system moving through the region. The center of the low will pass South, keeping any strong storm threat mostly downstate, but a few rumbles of thunder will remain possible locally as well. Sunday may not quite be so favorable a day to be outside, so be sure to make your OSD visits by Saturday if you want nice weather!

Wednesday afternoon weather update for northern Illinois

 

6:46pm Update: New: Severe Thunderstorm Warning for northern Green and northwest Rock counties in southern Wisconsin until 7:45pm. Storm is moving east at 45 mph and capable of producing 60 mph wind gusts.

 

5:45pm Update: A TORNADO WATCH has been issued for Green County in southern Wisconsin until 9pm Wednesday evening. Thunderstorms have developed along what meteorologists refer to as the 'triple point'. This is where a low's warm front, cold front, and occluded front come together. Often times this can help enhance the spin in the lower levels of the atmosphere, which is what has happened with the thunderstorms that have moved into southwest Wisconsin.

While the severe threat remains limited for us this evening, we still do have the cold front and low-pressure system to get through this evening. And that may allow for at least an isolated severe storm to impact part of the viewing area through 9pm.

The showers and thunderstorms from this morning have really kept our atmosphere cool and stable. Current temperatures (as of 1pm) are in the mid and upper 50s with a brisk southeast wind. The storm complex from the morning developed a little further south and has pushed the system's warm front down into central and southern Illinois. While there will likely be some shift in the front to the north it'll more than likely remain in central Illinois, and this is where the highest threat for the more significant severe weather looks to remain.

Accordingly, the Storm Prediction Center shifted both the 'enhanced risk' (level 3/5) and 'moderate risk' (level 4/5) southward a bit. Northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin remain within a 'slight risk' (level 2/5) for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

So, what does this all mean for our weather going forward? We'll continue to see a few scattered showers throughout the afternoon as temperatures are likely to creep back into the 60s. There is some clearing taking place over Iowa with the cloud cover and this is slowly starting to allow some instability to build back north into southern Iowa. As the system's cold front and low pressure move east, we will likely see some higher instability develop along the Mississippi River and into parts of northern Illinois through early afternoon. This will keep at least an isolated severe risk going through about 8pm/9pm locally until the cold front passes. The main hazards with any storm that would turn severe would be primarily wind.

Our window for the next round of thunderstorms we'll need to keep an eye on will be from roughly 5pm/6pm through 8pm/9pm.  

Strong winds possible in the wake of morning thunderstorms

Behind this morning's round of storms, we're now watching for the development of a wake low. This can lead to a quick surge in winds even after the storms move out and push to our south. 

For this, a Special Weather Statement has been issued for the highlighted counties until 12:30PM. These winds can be strong enough to blow around loose objects around, down small tree limbs, and could make travel, especially for high-profile vehicles - a bit more difficult at times. Use extra caution. 

On top of that, the National Weather Service placed Winnebago, Boone, Ogle, Lee, and DeKalb County under a Wind Advisory. 

This will be in place until 1PM this afternoon, mainly for the winds associated with the wake low.