Softball-Sized Hail Threat Looms Over Illinois

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best today as there are parts of Illinois that are now facing a storm threat that could include up to softball-sized hail in some places.

I believe that most in Illinois are aware by now that there is a threat for explosive thunderstorm development in many parts of the state Tuesday. However, I was not aware that this includes the possibility for huge hail in parts of Illinois. Here's what digital meteorologist Ryan Hall just shared on social media. The purple areas on the map he shared are where the worst storm threats are today.

I've seen several Illinois weather pages on social media talking about the potential for severe storms today.

What does the NOAA Storm Prediction Center say about Tuesday thunderstorms?

According to what I'm seeing, the threat map has expanded beyond even what Ryan Hall shared. Here's the most recent update which shows an even larger area in northern Illinois that is under an enhanced risk for storms including huge hail.

Here are their exact words about what to expect and when in Illinois:

"Initial storms later this afternoon will rapidly become supercells with all severe hazards possible. Large to giant hail and an intense tornado will be possible"

When you hear "large to giant hail", that means life-threatening objects falling from the sky. That means you need to be weather aware in nearly all parts of Illinois, but especially the northern half. If you're in the part of the state that's under the enhanced risk, expect thunderstorms to be powerful with fast development. Make sure you have multiple ways to get NWS severe weather warnings if/when they are issued.