Weekend Weather Update

                                                     
12:30pm Update: Severe storm outlook for Sunday  Moderate risk for severe storms areas east of I-39.














As moisture surges north into Northern Illinois early Saturday morning, clouds have already begun to thicken up.  While a little drizzle has been reported, the threat for more widespread rain and thunderstorms will increase through the afternoon and especially into the evening.  The potential does exist for strong to severe storms late Saturday and Sunday, so here is a break down of what you can expected for both days.

Saturday:

The Storm Prediction Center has expanded the slight risk a little further into Northwest Illinois, mainly for Saturday evening and overnight.  Strong southerly winds will continue to feed moisture north into Illinois and Wisconsin throughout the day.  As it does, clouds will stick around and rain will become more widespread into the afternoon.  As a few upper level disturbances move out of the Plains and into Iowa this afternoon, thunderstorms will possible as well.  It appears that through the afternoon the threat for severe storms will be low.  A warm front will begin to move into Northern Illinois this evening and overnight at the same time strong jet stream winds begin to move into Iowa and Missouri.  This combination will keep the threat for thunderstorm overnight Saturday into Sunday morning.  While hail appears to be the main threat, a few severe wind gusts will be possible.

Sunday:  

A deepening low pressure system and cold front will move from central Iowa into the Upper Great Lakes by Sunday evening.  Ahead of the front Sunday morning from Eastern Iowa to Northwest Illinois, thunderstorms may be ongoing and moving east as the front moves into North-Central Illinois by midday Sunday.  The slight risk for severe storms has been shifted further west to account for the threat of ongoing thunderstorms Sunday morning while a moderate risk for severe storms has been issued for parts of Chicago and points eastward.  Again, hail and severe wind gusts remain the primary threats but an isolated, weak tornado can't be ruled out - especially if the warm front stalls near the Wisconsin/Illinois border.  Once the front passes Sunday afternoon the storm threat will end for us and shift more towards the east.  The greatest threat for any possible strong to severe storms appears to be from Saturday evening through early afternoon Sunday as this is the time frame of when the strong storm dynamics will be near us.  Any further updates or changes in the forecast will be found here, so make sure you check back through the weekend.