Springfield, Illinois – Drivers across central Illinois could face rapidly deteriorating road conditions within hours as supercell thunderstorms fire up by midafternoon, bringing the risk of baseball-size hail and wind gusts up to 75 mph.
According to the National Weather Service and Illinois Weather Community, a Level 3 severe risk covers much of central Illinois, including Peoria, Springfield, Decatur, and Champaign, with the most intense storms expected between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. This window carries a 30 to 44 percent chance of severe storms, including isolated tornado development.
The threat expands along key corridors like I-55, I-74, and I-72, where sudden visibility drops and debris could halt traffic. In cities like Bloomington and Pontiac, hail large enough to damage vehicles and roofs may fall during peak travel hours. Further south toward Effingham and Charleston, storms may continue into the evening with damaging wind potential.
Western Illinois, including Quincy and Macomb, faces an earlier wave between midafternoon and midnight, while eastern zones could see storms linger into early Friday morning.
Residents should secure outdoor items, charge devices, and avoid unnecessary travel during warned storms. Additional alerts are likely as multiple storm rounds develop into the night.
