Illinois braces for possible EF-3 tornadoes and damaging hail on Wednesday

A severe weather outbreak is forecast for Illinois and Indiana on Wednesday, with a potential for long-track tornadoes including EF-3 intensity, especially south of I-80 from about 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.; morning storms (9 a.m.–12 p.m.) could influence the afternoon setup, with the main window likely 4–7 p.m. in central Cook County. South of the warm front could see tennis-ball-sized hail and strong tornadoes, while areas north face damaging straight-line winds; flash flooding is possible, with over 3 inches of rain in some areas. Residents should have alerts, know their safe place, and prepare a weather kit.