Illinois is in the path of heavy storms as a severe tornado watch has been issued. Meteorologist Jamie Enderlen said that the watch will be in place until 10 pm on July 18th.
The Affected Areas of the Heavy Storms
All of Northern Illinois is on alert for a tornado watch as well as a few Northwestern Indiana counties and Southwestern Wisconsin counties. As was stated, the watch will be until tonight at 10 pm if nothing changes. The Illinois-Wisconsin border is under a severe thunderstorm warning. A tornado warning for northern McHenry County was just recently cancelled, but that doesn’t mean residents should not take precautions for heavy storms.
What to Expect
The front that has causes a tornado watch to be put in place is also highly likely to cause heavy rain and flash flooding, according to the National Weather Service. The heavy rainfall in a short amount of time will lead directly to the flash flooding. Flooding is a danger to drive in as it is very hard to control the vehicle, so be sure to be off of the roads until flooding has ceased. Hail is also a possibility in these types of heavy storms.
If a tornado forms, be sure to follow the National Weather Service’s guide on the proper procedures during a tornado. Officials are saying that in the heavy storms, motorcyclists and pedestrians should avoid standing water. They say it is also a good idea to check on the elderly to make sure they are hydrated and in a cool environment. Pet owners are urged to keep their animals inside and safe. They are also reminded to never keep pets in cars as there is little to no air circulation, and the pets could become dehydrated extremely quickly.
Why the Storms will be so Severe
A tornado can be caused when a cold front and a warm front collide. This causes an instability in the local atmosphere. It can cause temperatures to fluctuate greatly from extremely high to very low. It will also cause thunderstorms which mess with the atmosphere even more due to the energy that is displaced with lightning and the change of temperature that rain causes. The more rain that a heavy storm produces, the more likely it is to cause even more rain to come.
