wkbn weather is tracking a volatile Thursday for the Chicago area and northwest Indiana, where severe storms are expected to move through with the potential for strong winds and a sharp temperature drop as a powerful cold front pushes across the region.
What Happens When the Severe Thunderstorm Watch focuses south of I-80?
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for areas along and south of I-80 until 11 p. m. Thursday (ET). The Storm Prediction Center places the far southern sections of the Chicago area in a level 3 Enhanced Risk, the zone where the strongest storms could develop.
The overall risk for severe storms has shifted slightly south, with the level 3 Enhanced Risk area now mainly south of I-80. Scattered storms developed Thursday afternoon and are expected to continue into the evening. A few isolated storms also began developing late in the morning into the early afternoon, mainly south of I-88, with reports of lightning and small hail.
The main storm window is expected between 3 p. m. and 11 p. m. Thursday (ET), with the greatest chance for severe weather between roughly 3 p. m. and 9 p. m. Thursday (ET). The severe weather threat is expected to end by 10 p. m. or 11 p. m. Thursday (ET) in the Chicago area.
What If storms intensify into hail, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes?
Any strong to severe storms that develop Thursday afternoon or evening may produce large hail and damaging wind gusts. Areas near and south of the Kankakee River Valley are being urged to stay vigilant for isolated tornadoes.
While the tornado threat is described as much lower than the March 10 storms, a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out, especially south of I-80. In addition to hail and wind, there is also a risk for localized flooding in southern areas.
Context from earlier impacts underscores why the region watches these setups closely: on March 10, at least four tornadoes touched down across parts of Illinois and Indiana, killing three people and injuring others. An EF-3 tornado with winds near 150 mph caused significant damage in parts of northwest Indiana, and the same storm system also produced extremely large hail across the region.
What Happens When the cold front brings a rapid temperature plunge?
Beyond storm hazards, a powerful cold front is also driving a sharp change in temperatures. Temperatures began dropping late Thursday morning into the afternoon as colder air moved in, and that colder air is expected to continue through the evening, with temperatures falling into the 40s by Thursday night (ET).
The National Weather Service indicates temperatures could fall as much as 25 degrees in a short period, creating a sharp contrast across the area through the day. Looking ahead after the storms move out, lows Thursday night are expected to drop to around 30 degrees (ET). Friday is expected to stay chilly in the low 40s under partly sunny skies (ET).
A gradual warm-up is expected this weekend, with highs near 50 on Saturday (ET) and into the low 60s by Sunday (ET), followed by near 70 degrees by Monday (ET) before rain chances return early next week (ET). wkbn weather will continue to emphasize the Thursday time window for the strongest storms and the quick transition to much colder air behind the front.
