Damaging Winds, Hail and Tornado Risk for Missouri and Illinois

If you live in or plan to travel through Missouri and/or Illinois later this week, you need to know that both states are being warned to expect large hail and damaging winds and even some strong tornadoes from a major storm system that will move across the Midwest.

I've seen a lot of storm chaser chatter and now the NOAA Storm Prediction Center has issued an official advisory about what both Missouri and Illinois will be dealing with this Thursday. Here's their latest advisory map that shows big areas in both Missouri and Illinois are now in one of their biggest risk areas. That red hatched area is potential big trouble.

Infographic, NOAA Storm Prediction Center

Here are the exact words from the forecast discussion from the Storm Prediction Center meteorologists (I've added emphasis):

"Numerous severe storms capable of potentially strong tornadoes, large hail, and destructive winds appear likely from portions of the lower Missouri and mid Mississippi Valleys into the upper Great Lakes"

I have seen some storm chasers talking about Thursday and many say a real outbreak is possible.

It is important to make sure you are weather aware Thursday. The National Weather Service in St. Louis says that both Wednesday and Thursday are potential severe weather days, but Thursday especially north of I-70 is the most concerning potential right now. It's possible that early cloud cover Thursday morning could lessen the explosive storm development, but that is not the expectation right now. Have multiple ways to get severe weather alerts from the NWS when/if they happen.