National Weather Service meteorologists are warning Rockford residents Tuesday evening to brace for possible thunderstorms.
A line of storms is moving through north-central Illinois and is expected to affect areas including Winnebago, Boone, McHenry, Lake, Ogle, Lee, DeKalb, Kane and DuPage counties.
It will be mostly sunny and 89 degrees this afternoon, but expect winds up to 25 mph in the Rockford area with gusts up to 40 mph by evening.
Storms with damaging winds and possibly even hail are likely. There is also an increased risk of tornadoes near and west of the Route 39 corridor, according to a hazardous weather forecast from the National Weather Service.
The chance of rain is 80% and half an inch of rain may fall.
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and at @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Forecasted storms bring increased risk of tornadoes to Rockford area
