Midwest Faces Severe Thunderstorms with Hail and Tornadoes on Thursday
Midwest residents should brace for severe thunderstorms, with sizable hail and isolated tornadoes expected Thursday. Record late-March heat streaming east from the Plains will help fuel the storms.
When and where to expect storms
Forecasters expect scattered severe storms to form by late Thursday afternoon. The earliest activity should appear across northern parts of the region.
Areas near the Chicago metro are included in the risk. Evening hours could bring one or more clusters moving south through Illinois, Indiana and Ohio into western Pennsylvania.
Some storms could develop farther west, possibly affecting parts of Missouri. Timing may shift if storms form earlier in the day.
Main threats
- Large hail, potentially reaching baseball size.
- Strong wind gusts that could down trees and cause power outages.
- A few tornadoes, with isolated cells capable of reaching EF2 strength.
- Localized flash flooding in heavy-rain pockets.
How to prepare
Know where to shelter before storms arrive. If you live in a manufactured home, plan to reach a community shelter or a sturdy nearby building.
Have several ways to receive National Weather Service watches and warnings. Charge devices and enable audible alerts on phones and NOAA weather radios.
When a warning is issued for your area, seek safe shelter immediately. Take warnings seriously and avoid waiting to see damage.
March storm history and context
This March has seen multiple severe-weather outbreaks across the Midwest. The repeated events have left communities fatigued and on edge.
On March 6, southern Michigan was hit by four tornadoes. An EF3 in Branch County killed three people.
The same day produced an EF2 near Three Rivers and an EF1 in Cass County that caused one fatality. Four days later, a lone supercell spawned five tornadoes across northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.
That outbreak included an EF3 tornado in Kankakee, Illinois, which killed three. On March 15, 17 additional tornadoes were confirmed across central and southern Illinois.
Most recently, severe storms with hail and damaging winds affected areas from Illinois to western Pennsylvania last Sunday.
Expert note
Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at Filmogaz.com. He has covered national and international weather since 1996.
Forecasters urge residents to stay informed and ready as the region faces potential severe thunderstorms with hail and tornadoes on Thursday.
