60 MPH WINDS POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY
Gusty, damaging non-thunderstorm winds and high temperatures are the focus this forecast period, followed by chances for thunderstorms with the passage of a cold front Wednesday evening/night. A High Wind Watch was activated at 2:25 p.m. for Wednesday evening to late Wednesday night. The best chance for 50 to 60 MPH wind gusts is about 10:00 p.m. Wednesday to 1:00 a.m. Thursday.
HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT…
The High Wind Watch is activated for the following areas …
COUNTIES
McHenry-Lake IL-Kane-DuPage-La Salle-Kendall-Grundy-Northern Cook- Central Cook-Southern Cook-Northern Will-Southern Will- Eastern Will … Including the cities of Crystal Lake, Algonquin, McHenry, Woodstock, Waukegan, Buffalo Grove, Mundelein, Gurnee, Aurora, Elgin, Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Lombard, Carol Stream, Ottawa, Streator, La Salle, Mendota, Marseilles, Oswego, Yorkville, Plano, Morris, Coal City, Minooka, Evanston, Des Plaines, Schaumburg, Palatine, Northbrook, Chicago, Cicero, Oak Lawn, Oak Park, La Grange, Calumet City, Oak Forest, Lemont, Orland Park, Park Forest, Joliet, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, Mokena, Channahon, Manhattan, Wilmington, Crete, Peotone, and Beecher.
HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT…
* WHAT…Southwest winds 30 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible.
* WHERE…Portions of north central and northeast Illinois.
* WHEN…From Wednesday evening through late Wednesday night.
* IMPACTS…Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are possible. Travel could be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Use caution when driving in high winds. Secure any outdoor furniture and decorations, including holiday decorations, or bring them inside until winds have subsided.
Weather Radar) shows an area of precipitation southwest of Peoria moving from southwest to northeast.
Weather Details …
Warm advection (warmth transported by wind) is underway across the area this afternoon leading to mainly cloud skies now in place with SE and SSE winds about 10 MPH. More focused warm ascent arrives early this evening from the southwest which will result in scattered to numerous showers tracking northeastward across the area. Regional radar mosaic shows showers already breaking out across southwest IL. Forecasters are not expecting much in the way of rainfall but many areas east of I-39 will probably see at least a brief shower with the primary focus roughly along and east of I-55. The best chance for a little light rain in Arlington Heights and the nearby northwest suburbs will be from about 8:00 p.m. to midnight.
Temperatures may drop a few degrees but then level off or rise
toward daybreak as winds turn more southerly ahead of developing
low pressure over the high plains.
South winds will steadily increase through the day Wednesday with any shower activity exiting with only a slight chance north of I-80 through the day. High temps will warm into the mid to upper 60s across the Illinois forecast area and lower 60s in northwest Indiana. Cloud cover may hamper max heating potential but regardless it will be very mild, according to the NWS Chicago office.
Attention turns to increasing southerly to southwesterly winds as low pressure rapidly develops over southeastern south Dakota and tracks to western Lake Superior. Peak winds look to spread from west to east during the early evening and continue into the overnight hours before easing toward daybreak Thursday. A cold front will cross the area during the mid to late evening and into the early overnight shifting winds west-southwesterly. Areas north of I-80 will be in line for the highest gusts which look to be around 60 mph. Have expanded the high wind watch eastward to Lake Michigan and the Indiana state line for now with a wind advisory to the south. Its possible that the southern edge of the watch may be a little too far south at this point but wind speed trends have been upward further north in IL so am confident enough to expand eastward. Winds across northwest Indiana are a little less certain as the low tracks north-northeastward and is well to the west, but a wind advisory may be needed there with some potential high wind criteria could be met across the far northern portion. Expect to see a line of showers accompany the cold frontal passage but instability still appears minimal so thunder chances are low as well. The showers may modulate some higher gusts over 60 mph but that is not clear at this phase. Regardless, winds outside of showers may be enough to bring down small branches, power lines and move around unsecured objects like yard furniture and holiday decorations.
See also Arlingtoncardinal.com/clouds
The threat for damaging winds is continuing to increase especially for areas in Illinois along and north of I-80 where winds could gust over 60 mph. Gusts over 50 mph are possible for across the rest of the area. Be sure to secure outdoor decorations ahead of time. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/dKZfEAUFOl
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) December 14, 2021
Near record high temps are expected Wed afternoon ahead an approaching low. This system will bring chances for rain and even a few t-storms to the area Wed afternoon and evening with strong winds expected Wed night into Thu morning. Cooler temps to close out the week. #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/7GzYkGWJsN
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) December 14, 2021
O’HARE FORECAST …
Tonight: A 50 percent chance of showers, mainly before 1am. Cloudy, with a temperature rising to around 51 by 3am. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday: A 20 percent chance of showers after 9am. Cloudy, with a high near 65. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Wednesday Night: Showers likely before midnight, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between midnight and 3am, then showers likely after 3am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 43. Windy, with a south southwest wind 20 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 55 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 47. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Friday: A 30 percent chance of rain after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 41.
Friday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32.
Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 36.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.
LAKE TEMPS …
SOUTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN WATER TEMPERATURES
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHICAGO/ROMEOVILLE IL
903 AM CST Tue Dec 14 2021
LAKE MICHIGAN WATER TEMPERATURES…
CHICAGO SHORE……….43.
CHICAGO CRIB……….43.
MICHIGAN CITY……….42.
&&
M IS FOR MISSING DATA THAT IS NORMALLY AVAILABLE.
THE MICHIGAN CITY WATER TEMPERATURE SENSOR IS LOCATED AT A WATER
INTAKE ONE MILE OFFSHORE AND 60 FEET BELOW WATER SURFACE. IT IS READ
EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR.
december.chicagoweatherstation.com
Chicago Weather Forecast for your MAC/PC/TABLET includes surrounding suburbs.
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