A potent cold front continues to push east through the central and northern Plains bringing temps back down to fall-time reality for many across the Midwest. The storm system triggered widespread severe weather last night for portions of Oklahoma and Texas and will likely fire up additional severe storms later today for much of Illinois. If you’ve checked our Severe Weather Page, you’ll see that the Storm Prediction Center has much of Illinois and northwest Indiana under a level 2 out of 5 risk for severe storms today. (Explanation found here) The main threat will be damaging winds, but a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out with the best chance occurring back into Illinois.

We’ll be watching these storms move into the Region this afternoon into the evening hours for the potential of damaging winds and heavy rain locally.

Here’s how the HRRR model evolves the system today:

It’s the second line of storms that will carry the best threat for severe weather while the first line may bring some storms. Timing varies on each model, but the highest threat for severe weather with that second line will likely arrive later this afternoon through this evening. Stay tuned as these systems tend to speed up–we’ll keep you updated!

Winds will be gusty as well today with gusts over 35mph possible at times out ahead of the system. Wind gust forecast:

This will help our temps to get into the upper 70s and low 80s. Behind this system we turn cooler with highs in the 70s and noticeably less humid air. It won’t last long though as we remain on the dividing line between the summer-like air and the taste of fall to our west. This will spin up another storm system mid-week. Take a look at the humid air (yellows and oranges) being replaced by the drier air (blues) before the humidity moves back in out ahead of our next front:

Temps stay rather mild this week: