Lightning, Damaging Winds Possible Across Missouri & Illinois

It looks like 2025 may go out with a bang in Missouri and Illinois if the weather has anything to say about it as both states have a chance to see lightning and damaging winds according to a new update from meteorologists.

I was surprised today when I learned that the NOAA Storm Prediction Center had just put huge areas across Missouri and Illinois in the marginal risk area for severe storm development for Sunday, December 28, 2025.

There's a lot of weather nerd talk in the meteorologists discussion from the Storm Prediction Center, but I did understand the phrase "strong to severe gusts producing at least isolated damaging winds". The National Weather Service in St. Louis, Missouri confirms this thunderstorm possibility. They warn that lightning will also likely be a part of any areas that see severe storm development although they do say that not every part of Missouri or Illinois will see crazy stuff.

One other factor to consider is that these storms will be a side effect of a cold front moving through the area. After the storms roll through Missouri and Illinois, temperatures will drop significantly which could turn any moisture dropped during the storms into an ice danger. The National Weather Service isn't really talking about that danger at this point, but it's something to keep in mind.