The Chicago area is at risk for tornadoes for the first time this year as a temporary “summer-like warmth” descends into possible snow Sunday, according to National Weather Service officials.
A line of severe thunderstorms, the first extreme weather event of the year, is expected to hit the Chicago area around midnight Friday, according to NWS senior meteorologist Brett Borchardt. While storms will move through the area quickly and are expected only to drop about half an inch of rain, wind gusts up to 70 mph will be strong enough to “bring down tree limbs,” he said.
The threat of severe weather also extends to Lake Michigan, Borchardt said.
“That’s relatively unusual, we only see that threat level a few times a year, and it’s only March so we’re kicking off the season early,” Borchardt said. “But the threat of tornadoes does extend through the entire Chicago area.”
8:30 AM Update: Severe weather is expected tonight with much of our area in a Level 3 or Level 4 threat level. Damaging winds strong enough to bring down trees are the main threat, though a tornado or two may occur as well. Have multiple ways to get warnings tonight!! #ilwx #inwx pic.twitter.com/WtwTQfl4P3
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 14, 2025
Since the storm will be coming in late, and is the first of the year, Borchardt recommended having multiple ways to get storm information and at least one that could wake people in the event they need to seek shelter. Once the storm clears the area around 3 a.m. Saturday, wind gusts will remain until around 3 p.m.
The storms will hit the area after temperatures at O’Hare Airport are expected to reach 79 degrees Friday, just a “stone’s throw” from the record of 81 in 2012, Borchardt said.
Temperatures will cool slightly Saturday, with a high of 65 and some remaining winds up to 45 mph, before dropping to the coldest point of the weekend with a high of 44 degrees Sunday. The cooler temps also bring the possibility of snow early Sunday morning, though no accumulation is expected, according to Borchardt.
Monday and Tuesday will see high temperatures climbing into the 60s and 70s.