Potential strong tornadoes threaten millions into tonight as severe storms set to blast Midwest, Great Lakes
According to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, thunderstorms capable of producing a strong tornado (EF 2+) are likely across parts of Chicagoland, Rockford as well as parts of southern Wisconsin and eastern Iowa.
Chicago faces threat of strong tornadoes as severe storms set to blast Midwest, Great Lakes
Chicago, Milwaukee and several other Midwest metros are in the path of a dangerous severe weather threat that covers more than 45 million people across the region — with storms expected to begin firing over eastern Iowa by late Thursday morning before charging east. According to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, thunderstorms capable of producing a strong tornado (EF 2+) are likely across parts of Chicagoland, Rockford as well as parts of southern Wisconsin and eastern Iowa.
CHICAGO, Ill. — Chicago, Milwaukee and several other Midwest metros are in the path of a dangerous severe weather threat that covers more than 45 million people across the region — with storms expected to begin firing over eastern Iowa by late Thursday morning before charging east. According to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, thunderstorms capable of producing a strong tornado (EF 2+) are likely across parts of Chicagoland, Rockford as well as parts of southern Wisconsin and eastern Iowa.
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Image 3 of 6LAKE VILLAGE, INDIANA - MARCH 10: First responders survey a destroyed Family Dollar store where two employees were trapped and later rescued uninjured after a tornado struck on March 10, 2026 in Lake Village, Indiana. The National Weather Service had issued an urgent warning about a large tornado moving through the area, calling it a "life-threatening situation." ((Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images))
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Image 6 of 6BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 19: Lightning streaks across the sky over west Bloomington as seen from Rosehill Cemetery on February 19, 2026, in Bloomington, Indiana. At least one tornado later touched down, damaging a bank, the animal shelter, and multiple homes and other structures. ((Photo by Jeremy Hogan/Getty Images))
This threat comes as an active weather pattern takes hold of the Central U.S., as spring severe weather season intensifies across the Heartland following an active March which saw deadly tornadoes in Illinois, Indiana and Michigan.
Thunderstorms are expected to develop and intensify by late Thursday over the Central Plains and shift over the Midwest and Great Lakes through the afternoon and into the evening.
(FOX Weather)
According to the FOX Forecast Center, damaging wind gusts of 75 mph or stronger and tornadoes are the primary severe weather hazards expected.
"Some limitations in instability may prevent storms from becoming widespread. However, storms that do form are likely to be discrete supercells, which increases the tornado threat," the Forecast Center said.
The risk of strong (EF-2+) tornadoes spans a corridor more than 700 miles long, from Missouri to Michigan.
(FOX Weather)
The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Level 3 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms for southern Wisconsin, just south of Milwaukee; northern Illinois, including Chicago; and eastern Iowa.
Storms are expected to form over Iowa by late Thursday morning, reaching Illinois and Wisconsin by noon and St. Louis and Chicago shortly after, with the threat lasting through the first half of the evening.
(FOX Weather)
As storms weaken, heavy rain will remain, creating a localized flash flood threat late Thursday across Wisconsin, Michigan, and northern Illinois. A widespread 1-2 inches of rain is expected across the Midwest and parts of the Great Lakes through Thursday.
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(FOX Weather)
Severe weather threat reloads over Plains, Midwest Friday
A second severe weather system will move out of the Rockies and into the Plains by Friday afternoon.
Thunderstorms are expected to fire ahead of the associated cold front and organize into a line from western Iowa to West Texas by the mid-afternoon hours. All hazards are possible, including damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes.
(FOX Weather)
Parts of the Midwest are once again in the bull's-eye, where southern Iowa and northern Missouri are under a Level 3 threat and are under the greatest threat of seeing discrete supercells capable of producing tornadoes.
Heavy rain will persist overnight Saturday, creating another flash flood threat from northern Texas into southwestern Missouri.
This active severe weather pattern comes right on cue, as April is historically when spring severe weather season begins to intensify across the middle of the country.