Weather

weather forecast

More thunderstorms, showers still possible through rest of the week

March 31, 2026

Updated Wednesday April 1, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.

 

After a night of thunderstorms, the National Weather Service predicts more today, Friday, and Saturday. Drier weather is expected to return on Sunday. 

Updated Tuesday March 31 at 6:00 p.m.

From the National Weather Service Central Illinois: The primary threats are locally damaging wind gusts over 60 mph and large hail that could exceed golf ball size in a few storms, mainly prior to 10 PM. A tornado or two are possible as well.

 

Updated Tuesday March 31 at 11:20 a.m.

 

Updated Tuesday March 31 at 9:35 a.m.

 

After a beautiful day of sunshine and warmth, thunderstorms are back in the picture. IPM News meteorologist Andrew Pritchard says scattered storms are likely to develop this evening. The National Weather Service predicts a severe weather threat from 5-10 p.m. Many parts of Central Illinois were under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning this morning as well. 

 

Updated Monday March 30, 2026 at 1:45 p.m.

 

In an unexpected turn of events, temperatures will warm up Monday and reach almost near 80 degrees today and tomorrow.

Chance of rain and thunder will increase later in the day Tuesday, according to IPM News meteorologist Andrew Pritchard. Temperatures will dip down to the 50’s on Wednesday and go back up again later in the week with chances of rain continuing. 

The National Weather Service reports that severe storms are possible Tuesday.

 

hailstones

Strong to severe storms produce hail and high winds in central Illinois

March 26, 2026

Updated Thursday at 11:00 p.m.

According to the National Weather Service, half-dollar-sized hail fell in parts of Urbana. Earlier, ping-pong-sized hail was reported in parts of Vermilion County. No tornadoes were reported. But a 49-mile-per-hour wind gust was reported at the Rantoul Airport.

Updated Thursday at 6:50 p.m.

From IPM meteorologist Andrew Pritchard: ping pong ball sized hail reported north of Danville with that storm. Radar indicates there may be even larger hail with that storm, about to move into Indiana. Quarter size hail reported in the storm near Rantoul. Both storms are moving east at 50 mph. Take cover if you are in the path of these storms! 

Updated Thursday at 5:22 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for Champaign County and surrounding areas, according to the National Weather Service. Reports of golf ball size hail have already been reported in Bloomington. The Thunderstorm Watch will remain in effect until 11 p.m.

Updated Thursday at 3:23 p.m.

After severe storms tonight, cold temperatures are expected on Friday.

Updated Thursday at 1:30 p.m.

In the latest update, IPM News meteorologist says that warm weather will continue through the afternoon. Storms are expected to begin in between 5-6 p.m. and last until 9 p.m. for Champaign County. Large hail remains the biggest risk. 

Updated Thursday at 7:15 a.m.

From IPM meteorologist Andrew Pritchard:

 

Much of the day today will be warm and breezy but otherwise quiet. Look for scattered storms to develop to our north late this afternoon and evening as a cold front approaches the area. A few strong to severe storms are possible across the area this evening into the first half of the overnight, or between roughly 6:00 p.m. and midnight. Large hail is the primary expected hazard with severe storms locally, but isolated instances of damaging winds and a tornado or two can’t be ruled out. Behind the cold front we turn much colder tomorrow and Saturday, but mild and stormy spring weather returns next week.

Updated Wednesday at 9:30 p.m.

From National Weather Center in Central Illinois: With forecast high temperatures in the mid to upper 80s for Thursday, daily record highs will be falling over most of the region. A level 2 & 3 risk of severe weather remains in place across most of central and southeast Illinois for Thursday. While some of this may occur late in the afternoon near and north of I-74, the best risk of severe weather will be in the evening. With any storms that remain discrete from each other, very large hail and tornadoes will be possible. 

 

forecast graphic

More snow expected tonight warmer temperatures to make comeback near end of the week

March 17, 2026

Updated Tuesday March 17, 2026 at 2:35 p.m.

Snow is expected Tuesday night, but temperature will steadily get warmer with a possibility of 70 degrees on Friday.

Updated Tuesday, March 17 at 8:15 a.m.

From meteorologist Andrew Pritchard:

High winds and powdery snow made for treacherous travel conditions across portions of northern and central Illinois on Monday, with interstate closures becoming commonplace due to multiple accidents from snow and ice-covered roadways. Highways and interstates between Champaign and Chicago and across surrounding portions of northern and central Illinois remain mostly snow and ice-covered early Tuesday morning from gusty winds overnight. 

Some improvement is expected today as winds begin to relax, allowing road salt and snow removal efforts to catch up. A little light snow is possible again tonight, but mild spring weather returns on Wednesday with a big warm-up headed into the weekend. 

forecast graphic

Updated Monday, March 16 at 11:00 p.m.

Roadways around central Illinois remained snowpacked and closed due to hazardous conditions on Monday night. At times, I-57 between Chicagoland and Champaign-Urbana was closed for hours on Monday because of numerous crashes.

The National Weather Service in Central Illinois expects blowing snow will diminish as winds subside Monday night into Tuesday morning. Wind chills of 5-10 degrees below zero are expected overnight. Another burst of snow is forecast for Tuesday night. However, much warmer weather is returning. IPM meteorologist Andrew Pritchard is forecasting 70 degrees by Friday!

weather map

Updated Monday, March 16 at 3:00 a.m.

From Sunday evening through Monday morning, Champaign County and the surrounding areas experienced severe weather warnings, a sharp drop in temperatures, snow, and high winds. The weather headlines:

  • Sunday at 6:44 p.m., the National Weather Service in Central Illinois issued a Tornado Warning for Champaign, Douglas, Moultrie, and Piatt Counties.  Sunday at 7:12 p.m., another Tornado Warning was issued for Champaign, Douglas, and Vermilion Counties. 
  • Champaign County Emergency Management reported that a tree fell on a home in Tolono.
  • In Douglas County, a possible tornado blew the roof off a barn in Arthur and carried several tree tops a few hundred feet. Downed tree branches were reported in other parts of the village. 
  • Until Monday at 10:00 a.m., a High Wind Warning is in effect for Champaign, Coles, DeWitt, Douglas, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Sangamon, and Vermilion Counties and surrounding areas. Meteorologists are expecting south winds 25 to 35 miles per hour with gusts up to 45 to 55 miles per hour. Overnight, the winds will switch directions to west-northwest.
  • As of Sunday at 10:00 p.m., rain was switching to snowfall. 

storm damage

Large hail and tornadoes cause major damage in Illinois on Tuesday

March 11, 2026

Updated March 11, 2026 at 10:53 a.m.

Rain continued this morning in Central Illinois after a night of severe storms and hail in some parts of the state.

 

 

Updated March 11, 2026 2:10 a.m.

Storms finally reached the Champaign-Urbana area around 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday. By that time the National Weather Service in Central Illinois had canceled the Tornado Watch.  Still, the rain was steady with some lightning and thunder. 

Updated March 11, 2026 1:50 a.m.

Major storms that whipped up tornadoes in parts of Illinois and Indiana on Tuesday leveled homes, downed trees and power lines, and overwhelmed a 911 center south of Chicago with emergency calls, according to officials.

“Please do not come here. Do not try to help right now,” Newton County Sheriff Shannon Cothran said in a video update in front of what looked to be a destroyed home in the small northwestern Indiana community of Lake Village.

Multiple homes in the community were destroyed in an apparent tornado, and Indiana State Police Cpl. Eric Rot said people had been injured. He wasn’t able to provide an exact number or their conditions.

Severe storms dumping rain and hail in parts of the Midwest were threatening to bring intense tornadoes, damaging winds and very large hail from the southern Plains to the southern Great Lakes, according to the National Weather Service. States from Oklahoma to Michigan were under tornado watches.

Several tornadoes formed across northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana, but the exact number won’t be available until officials conduct damage surveys, said Andrew Lyons, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center.

He described this as a fairly typical early Spring strong storm system. It is expected to continue to move east across parts of the mid-Atlantic and East Coast Wednesday, likely bringing more severe weather, he said.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said in a post on the social platform X that he’d been briefed on the storm and tornado damage.

“Keeping in our thoughts all Illinoisans impacted by the severe weather — we’ll be here to help them recover,” he said.

A tornado struck down near the Kankakee fairgrounds, about 57 miles (91.7 kilometers) south of Chicago, before traveling northeast into Aroma Park, where it caused extensive damage, according to the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office. No injuries have been reported.

“I want to remind area residents to check on their neighbors and loved ones but to avoid unnecessary travel, if at all possible,” Kankakee County Sheriff Mike Downey said in a statement.

In video shared on social media, the twister is seen ripping across a field of farmland near an airport while vehicles lined the road.

More than 2 million Americans were at a moderate risk of severe weather in Illinois and Indiana. Nearly 22 million were at a slightly lesser risk in a zone that includes Chicago, Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. – Hallie Golden, Associated Press

Updated March 11, 2026 1:46 a.m.

The National Weather Service in Lincoln has issued a Tornado Watch that includes Champaign, DeWitt, Logan, Macon, Menard, Piatt, Sangamon and Vermilion Counties until Wednesday at 1:45 a.m. Meteorologists say the overnight storms will mainly pose a risk for damaging wind gusts but isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out. Some storm cells will bring heavy rainfall resulting in flash flooding.

 

Updated March 10, 2026 7:26 p.m.

The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a Tornado Watch for the northern edge of the WILL-AM listening area, including Ford, Iroquois, Kankee and McLean Counties. As of now, there are no weather issues in Champaign-Urbana so far, but large hail fell in Bradley Village, north of Kankakee. A tornado warning was issued in Kankakee County between 6:30-7:00 p.m. Earlier in the afternoon, IPM meteorologist Andrew Pritchard captured a brief tornado near Pontiac.

storm dmage
Hail damage in Bradley Village, Illinois on March 10, 2026 (Family member of IPM staff)
storm damage
Hail damage in Bradley, Illinois on March 10, 2026 (Family member of IPM staff)

Updated March 10, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.

A Tornado Watch has been issued for parts of Illinois until 11 p.m.

Updated March 10, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.

Noon update from IPM meteorologist Andrew Pritchard: An outbreak of severe thunderstorms producing damaging hail and a few tornadoes is expected late this afternoon into the early overnight hours across portions of northern and central Illinois. Champaign-Urbana is not in the bullseye for today’s risk, but we are on the periphery and should keep a close eye on our west for any storms along the southern end of today’s outbreak that could clip our area. Prime time should be between 5:00 p.m. to midnight.

Updated March 10, 2026 at 8:30 a.m.

From IPM meteorologist Andrew Pritchard: a warm and windy spring day is expected across central Illinois, but scattered thunderstorms will develop ahead of an approaching storm system late this afternoon and evening, and there’s a chance a few storms could become severe across portions of northern and central Illinois into neighboring portions of Indiana. Large hail 2 inches in diameter and a few tornadoes are possible with the strongest storms, along with damaging wind gusts and locally heavy rainfall. The most likely time frame for severe storms in the immediate WILL severe weather coverage area is between 5:00 p.m. and midnight on Tuesday, though, rain and thunderstorms will continue into Wednesday morning.

From the National Weather Service Central Illinois: Severe thunderstorms are expected across central Illinois starting late Tuesday afternoon. The storms will continue late into the night. Meteorologists say damaging winds, large hail, and potentially strong tornadoes are possible. Heavy rain and localized flooding may also develop.

weather map
National Weather Service

Updated March 9, 2026 at 12:00 p.m.

Despite lots of sunshine and warm temperatures on Monday, Central Illinoisans should brace themselves for severe storms on Tuesday.

The storms are expected to start in the late afternoon on Tuesday and continue through the evening and overnight, according to the National Weather Service. 

IPM News meteorologist Andrew Pritchard says for now the risk of storms appears highest between 5 p.m. and 12 a.m. on Tuesday. The Storm Prediction Center has outlined an ‘Enhanced Risk’ level 3 out of 5 risk across portions of Champaign County/central Illinois, Pritchard says. 

Strong winds, hail, a few tornadoes, heavy rain, and some flooding are all possible.