EDITOR’S NOTE: Track strong to severe storms as they head to the Chicago area Wednesday here.
A tornado watch was issued for several Illinois and Indiana counties with waves of showers and potentially severe storms set to move across the region Wednesday.
In the Chicago area, the tornado watch was issued for LaSalle, Kendall, Grundy, Will and Kankakee counties in Illinois, along with Newton County in Indiana, according to the National Weather Service.
“A couple of strong tornadoes” are possible in the watch area, which extends south to Centralia in Illinois, west to Davenport in Iowa, and east to Lafayette in Indiana. It will remain in effect until 9 p.m.
The window for potentially severe weather is expected to arrive after 1 p.m. Wednesday, though some earlier storms could bring hail to certain locations.
[11:20 AM 3/19] Waves of showers and storms will move across the region into this afternoon. The severe threat through 1 PM remains fairly low, with mainly a threat for a few instances of nickel to quarter-sized hail. Additional storms later this afternoon may become severe. pic.twitter.com/GFgNPDwsno
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 19, 2025It follows an earlier wave of severe storms that pummeled the region last week.
“The weather has been March Madness,” NBC 5 Storm Team Meteorologist Alicia Roman said of the weather rollercoaster.
Between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., the Chicago area will see the greatest chances for severe storms, with conditions expected to hit the city around 6 p.m. At that time, most parts will be at a level two of five, or “slight” risk, of severe weather on the Storm Prediction Center’s scale.
Areas to the south though, including parts of Grundy, LaSalle and Kankakee Counties, are at a level three or “enhanced” risk, Roman said.
“All weather hazards will be at play,” Roman said, including hail, tornadoes, and strong, damaging winds.
According to the National Weather Service, tornadoes were especially possible along and south of I-88.
By around 8 p.m., any lingering rain will gradually transition into snow showers, with snow expected to continue overnight.
Beginning at 10 p.m., a wind advisory will go into effect for all of northeast Illinois, with winds upwards of 45 miles per hour possible.
“Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” the NWS warned, adding that “wind-whipped snow” Wednesday evening could lead to poor visibility and hazardous travel.
The first full day of astronomical spring will start out snowy and blustery, Roman said, with light snow expected to continue through around 6 a.m. Thursday.
By around 7 a.m., the system was expected to move out, leaving behind as much as two inches of snow for some.
Temperatures Thursday will start out in the 30s, Roman said, reaching into the 40s by afternoon. Friday, temperatures are slated to warm back up into the 50s, though they’ll dip back down by Saturday.
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