Kankakee, Illinois – Strong thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes could impact parts of eastern Illinois and northwest Indiana through 11 p.m. Tuesday, putting several communities along the Illinois-Indiana border under heightened evening weather alerts.
According to the National Weather Service in Chicago, Tornado Watch 32 remains active for nine counties until 11 p.m. CDT Tuesday. The watch includes Livingston, Ford, Iroquois, La Salle, Grundy and Kankakee counties in Illinois along with Benton, Jasper and Newton counties in Indiana. The alert was also expanded to include Lake and Porter counties in northwest Indiana, replacing an earlier severe thunderstorm watch.
Cities including Kankakee, Morris, Ottawa, Pontiac, Paxton and Streator sit inside the watch area where storms could rapidly intensify. In northwest Indiana, Gary, Hammond, Merrillville and Valparaiso are also under the same tornado watch as storm cells track east across the region.
Drivers along major corridors such as Interstate 57, Interstate 80 and Interstate 65 may encounter sudden downpours, strong wind gusts and rapidly changing visibility if storms develop.
Residents are urged to monitor weather alerts, keep phones charged and be ready to move to an interior room on the lowest floor if warnings are issued. Tornado watches mean conditions are favorable for tornado development.
Additional warnings could be issued quickly if rotating storms form before the watch expires late Tuesday night.
