The National Weather Service is preparing for the possibility of two rounds of severe storms on Wednesday, less than one week after nine confirmed tornadoes tore through the region.
The weather service has indicated Wednesday’s storms are a Moderate Risk [level 4 out of 5] for an area west of Peoria south to Jacksonville and stretching into Indiana.
The forecast for storms covers areas north of Interstate 72, encompassing Bloomington-Normal, Pontiac, Decatur, Champaign, Danville and Kankakee. The primary threat is for tornadoes and damaging winds that could top 75 mph, as well as large hail greater than 2 inches in diameter.
Alex Erwin, a meteorologist with the NWS in Lincoln, said the first wave of storms will last from around 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the additional round arriving about mid-afternoon.
“We’re dealing with a pretty volatile environment, so both rounds of storms could bring damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes,” said Erwin, noting the system approaching from the Northwest has characteristics that heighten concerns.
“What’s unique about this is there’s very strong winds associated with this system, and particularly for June, it results in very strong wind shear for this time of year,” he said. “That’s why we’re seeing such an intensity to these storms tomorrow.”
Erwin said the morning round could include heavy rainfall, raising the risk of flash flooding. The second round is expected to encompass a much larger area of Central and Southern Illinois than the first.
“All severe hazards are possible during both rounds, but the strongest tornadoes, highest wind gusts and largest hail will be during the afternoon and evening,” the NWS alert said.
The storms are expected to push to the east at around 50 to 60 mph. Erwin said the speed of the systems could limit the amount of time for people to respond and take shelter.
“Really the best thing you can do is just review your severe weather safety plan,” he said. “Make sure you would know where you would go if a warning was issued for your area, whether you’re at work or at home. You want to identify those safe locations in advance.”
This could potentially be the area’s third significant weather event of the spring. That includes an EF1 twister through Morton and a “high-end EF3” near Washburn last Thursday.
In April, McLean County experienced seven tornadoes and that damaged dozens of homes and businesses. The storms included the first tornado to touch down in Bloomington-Normal since 2006.
Erwin said the region can expect a bit of a break following Wednesday’s storms, with dry conditions and high temperatures in the mid-to-upper 70s from Thursday through Saturday.
“It looks like late Saturday night into Sunday would be the next chance for rain,” he said.
