Tornadoes are possible across a large swath of the Chicago area during storms Thursday, but a narrow window of time will bring the greatest threat.
The storms are expected to hit the region in two waves. The biggest threat for tornadoes, however, sits in the second round of storms.
“The second one is the one I’m most concerned about,” NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said.
Still, that won’t mean the first round will see no risk at all.
The first wave is set to begin in the late morning and early afternoon hours, particularly for areas north and northwest of Chicago.
The second wave is expected to begin around 4 p.m.
According to the Storm Prediction Center, much of the Chicago area will be at a “moderate risk” of severe weather, the fourth of five levels. That level was upgraded from “enhanced” earlier Thursday morning.
The window for the peak tornado threat is expected to continue until 8 p.m. And any that do develop could be strong.
“Maybe EF-1 or 2 or greater,” Roman said.
Earlier reports had indicated the areas at a greatest risk for tornadoes would be suburbs north, northwest and west of Chicago, but as the storms approach, the risk region shifted south to include much more of the Chicago area.
“The threat has shifted a bit farther south than previously forecast and now includes much of northern IL,” the NWS wrote on X.
The agency urged residents to “take tornado warnings seriously” and have multiple ways of getting alerts. (Download the NBC Chicago app for live updates throughout the evening)
There’s still some uncertainty with the storms, specifically surrounding where exactly the storms will hit hardest.
“The main source of uncertainty revolves around the exact placement of the boundary this PM following the first round of midday storms,” the NWS wrote.
The storms will still spread across much of the Chicago area through the evening, with widespread coverage by 7 p.m.
Wind gusts in excess of 60 mph are possible once again, one day after gusts tore through the region, leaving thousands without power, uprooting trees and damaging homes and buildings.
The quick-moving system is expected to begin moving out of the region around 10 p.m.
And once they do, they’ll be followed by a cold front that will send temperatures into the 60s overnight.
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