Severe Storm Threat This Evening Near St. Louis, Chicago

By Bill Deger, Meteorologist

Mar 27, 2012; 5:44 AM ET

The threat for severe thunderstorms will shift into the Midwest late this afternoon into tonight, targeting areas from central Missouri to northern Illinois.
It's not out of the question that both St. Louis and Chicago could experience a gusty storm, but the greater chances for severe weather by will be across each city's northern and western suburbs.
The thunderstorms, which will form in a spotty nature this afternoon and evening is in association with a strong storm system that brought strong storms to the northern Plains on Monday night.
Howling winds from this storm could also cause damage across the Plains today, and will also raise the risk for wildfires.
The thunderstorms that fire in the severe threat area, including Columbia, Mo., the Quad Cities, as well as Peoria and Rockford, Ill., could contain large hail and powerful wind gusts.
An isolated tornado in the strongest of storms cannot be ruled out.

While those underneath a severe thunderstorm will get rocked, a widespread outbreak is not expected later today. Rather, storms will be spotty, impacting a minority of locations rather than a majority.
Outside of the threat for severe storms, the weather looks rather nice across the region today with some sunshine, a breeze and unseasonably warm temperatures in the upper 60s and 70s.
However, don't let the nice weather lull you into believing the day will be calm.
Be prepared by checking back throughout the day here at AccuWeather.com, especially if you are planning outdoor activities.

Severe Storm Threat This Evening Near St. Louis, Chicago