Northern Illinois Braces For High Wind And Derecho Threats Today

The Northern Illinois area just made it through a pretty wild weekend weather wise, and guess what? The terrifying ride isn't over yet, because another round of nasty could be hitting the Stateline area Monday night.

Severe Weather Threats in Northern Illinois

On Saturday night I found myself driving home in the horrible flash flood conditions, and it was something I hope to NEVER experience again. Ready for more bad news? Unfortunately, it looks like Northern Illinois might be in for a wild ride again late this afternoon and evening.

Meteorologists are forecasting potential damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, MORE flash flooding, and the possibility of a derecho – that's a fancy word for a long-lasting, straight-line windstorm that can cause some serious damage.

What is a Derecho?

For those that are unsure about what a derecho is and how it differs from a tornado, here's one simple explanation I found from SciJinks;

Derechos are fast-moving bands of thunderstorms with destructive winds. The winds can be as strong as those found in hurricanes or even tornadoes! Unlike hurricanes and tornadoes, these winds follow straight lines.

Derechos are well known for knocking down trees and power lines, damaging buildings, and tossing around loose objects like lawn furniture (or worse!). Basically, anything not tied down could become a projectile so you need to prepare and protect yourselves now...just in case.

How to Prepare For a Derecho

On Sunday night my husband and I spent about 30 minutes bracing our yard for a possible derecho. We moved our pool toys and potted plants into the shed and protected areas...we stacked patio chairs and took down umbrellas.

Experts says it's a good idea to weigh down grills and other outdoor accessories that you don't want catching flight and hitting your house.

Don't forget to make sure your phone is fully charged and that you have plenty of non-perishable food and water in the case the power goes out.

Stay weather aware tomorrow my friends!  Keep an eye on the forecast and listen to local news updates for the latest information. (FYI, I'll be sitting at home with my fingers crossed praying that we will dodge this whole weather mess completely!)