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MOBILE DEVICE? Turn sideways. Weather conditions directly above are near Lakefront. Top tabs refer to O'Hare (official).

Archives for the SPC Convective Outlook are updated daily (approximately) with a live map at the beginning of each article. Follow the link at the end of the article to check for current updates on the NOAA/NWS Storm Prediction Center website. Also, see Archives for Chicago's hourly weather data on CARDINAL NEWS Magazine.

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS WEATHER
O'Hare International Airport KORD (Arlington Heights South)
Chicago Executive Airport KPWK (Arlington Heights North)

Wednesday, January 14, 2026

SPC Jan 14, 2026 1300 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

LIVE MAP (ABOVE) ... SPC 1300Z Day 1 Outlook


Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0637 AM CST Wed Jan 14 2026

Valid 141300Z - 151200Z

...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST...

...SUMMARY...
Isolated thunderstorms are possible across south Florida and the
Keys today.

Limited low-level moisture and generally stable conditions will
preclude thunderstorms over most of the CONUS today and tonight.
The one exception will be over portions of south FL, beneath the
subtropical jet and in a region of mid 60s dewpoints. The risk
along the southeast coast will be this morning through early
afternoon, with another period of thunderstorm potential along the
southwest coast tonight. No severe storms are anticipated.

..Hart/Kerr.. 01/14/2026


Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC


http://dlvr.it/TQLK2B

SPC Jan 14, 2026 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

LIVE MAP (ABOVE) ... SPC 1200Z Day 1 Outlook


Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1031 PM CST Tue Jan 13 2026

Valid 141200Z - 151200Z

...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST...

...SUMMARY...
Isolated thunderstorms are possible across southeast Florida and the
Keys today.

...Synopsis...

A large-scale upper trough will deepen and pivot eastward over the
eastern half of the CONUS today. An embedded shortwave within the
base of the large-scale trough will move across the eastern Gulf and
FL today. This will provide large-scale ascent atop a stalled
frontal boundary across the southern FL Peninsula. Adequate moisture
will support modest buoyancy. However, lackluster lapse rates/warm
temperatures through the midlevels will preclude strong-storm
potential, though a few lightning flashes will be possible.

..Leitman/Lyons.. 01/14/2026


Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC


http://dlvr.it/TQL0s6

Tuesday, January 13, 2026

SPC Jan 14, 2026 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

LIVE MAP (ABOVE) ... SPC 0100Z Day 1 Outlook


Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0626 PM CST Tue Jan 13 2026

Valid 140100Z - 141200Z

...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST...

...SUMMARY...
Severe thunderstorms are not expected tonight.

...01z Update - Florida...

The 00z RAOB from MFL showed modest instability, but warm
temperatures through 700 mb. This should largely limit thunderstorm
activity, especially inland. Nevertheless, a few lightning flashes
remain possible through tonight near the immediate coast or over the
offshore waters from the Keys through southeast FL.

..Leitman.. 01/14/2026


Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC


http://dlvr.it/TQKrLN

SPC Jan 13, 2026 1630 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook

LIVE MAP (ABOVE) ... SPC 1630Z Day 1 Outlook


Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1023 AM CST Tue Jan 13 2026

Valid 131630Z - 141200Z

...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST...

...SUMMARY...
Severe thunderstorms are not expected today.

...Synopsis...
Upper pattern is expected to undergo significant amplification today
as a series of shortwave troughs act to deepen the upper troughing
across the central and eastern CONUS, and the upper ridging over the
western CONUS remains in place. Primary amplification will be
associated with a pair of phased shortwave troughs moving through
the western periphery of the upper troughing over the Plains and
Upper Midwest.

Continental airmass associated with these shortwaves will also act
to reinforce the dry and stable conditions already in place across
the majority of the central and eastern CONUS. The only exception
currently is across far south FL and the FL Keys, where remaining
low-level moisture (i.e. dewpoints in the upper 60s) is supporting
modest buoyancy. This buoyancy coupled with low-level convergence in
the vicinity of the southeast FL coast and the Keys is fostering
some deeper convective cores. A few lightning flashes have recently
been observed near the middle Keys, and the expectation is for
occasional flashes to persist from the Keys into the far southeast
FL Coast throughout the day.

Lastly, broad ascent is anticipated across the Southeast
tonight/early tomorrow, resulting from a combination of lift
associated with the southernmost shortwave moving through upper
trough and lift attendant to another shortwave moving from TX into
the Lower MS Valley. Dry and stable low-levels will keep the region
free of sustained deep convection, but some forecast soundings do
show limited and shallow buoyancy above 700 mb. As such, there is
low potential for a flash or two across this region.

..Mosier/Wendt.. 01/13/2026


Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC


http://dlvr.it/TQKb0J
SUNRISE AND SUNSET TIMES IN UTC (if you're not logged in to Google)
CHICAGO UTC-6 during CST (Central Standard Time, e.g., winter)
CHICAGO UTC-5 during CDT (Daylight Savings Time, e.g., summer)