Joliet, IL – Residents across portions of eastern and northeastern Illinois should prepare for the potential for severe weather as a Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 8 p.m. CDT Saturday.
According to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 493 includes Ford, Iroquois, Kankakee, and Will counties.
The watch covers communities including Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Plainfield, New Lenox, Mokena, Frankfort, Kankakee, Bourbonnais, Bradley, Watseka, Paxton, Gilman, and surrounding areas.
Forecasters say conditions are favorable for thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph, large hail, frequent lightning, torrential rainfall, and isolated power outages. Heavy rain may also create ponding on roads and reduced visibility, making travel hazardous during the strongest storms.
While not every location within the watch will experience severe weather, residents should remain alert throughout the afternoon and evening as storms develop and move across the region.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms to form. If a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued for your location, move indoors immediately and stay away from windows until the storm passes.
The watch is scheduled to remain in effect until 8 p.m. CDT, though additional watches or warnings could be issued depending on how storms evolve.
