LIVE MAP (ABOVE) ... SPC 0100Z Day 1 Outlook
Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0725 PM CDT Sat May 02 2026
Valid 030100Z - 031200Z
...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST...
...SUMMARY...
No severe thunderstorms are expected through the rest of the period.
...Synopsis...
The Marginal Risk across the Florida Peninsula has been removed with
this outlook. Scattered thunderstorms will continue across the
region but are expected to remain sub-severe with the loss of
daytime heating and thunderstorm activity becoming mainly
post-frontal.
Scattered thunderstorms will be possible this evening across
portions of the Southwest into Great Basin and across the Northern
Rockies. With weakly sheared profiles and marginal instability, no
severe storms are forecast.
..Thornton.. 05/03/2026
Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC
http://dlvr.it/TSLMdY
Windy.com Temps | Gusts | WU KORD KPWK |
CLICK for this month's BIG night sky ... | RADAR FULL MAP SCREEN |
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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.
CONVECTIVE | TORNADO | WIND | HAIL
O'Hare International Airport KORD
(Arlington Heights South)
Chicago Executive Airport KPWK
(Arlington Heights North)
Saturday, May 2, 2026
SPC May 3, 2026 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
SPC May 2, 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
1129 AM CDT Sat May 02 2026
Valid 021630Z - 031200Z
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE
NORTHERN/CENTRAL FLORIDA PENINSULA...
...SUMMARY...
Severe thunderstorms are possible across the northern and central
Florida Peninsula through early evening.
...Northern/Central Florida...
At midday, a line of gradually intensifying storms extends
northeast-southwestward across the northern Florida Peninsula to the
nearby Gulf, with additional offshore development occurring about as
far south as the Tampa Bay vicinity. This line will continue to move
inland and further intensify as the boundary layer warms inland in
conjunction with near-70F surface dewpoints. Some additional
more-discrete development may occur ahead of the line, potentially
focusing along the east coast. Damaging winds are the most probable
severe hazard as low/mid-level winds further strengthen, albeit with
a tendency for low-level veering over time. Even so, a tornado or
two could occur aside from damaging winds.
...Western Oregon/northern California...
Influenced by upper-jet exit region and the prominent trough off the
coast of Oregon/California, a few stronger storms may develop across
the region late this afternoon through early evening. While gusty
winds and/or small hail could occur, the potential for organized
severe storms should remain low given the modest instability and
weak deep-layer shear.
..Guyer/Chalmers.. 05/02/2026
Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC
http://dlvr.it/TSLFqD
Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1129 AM CDT Sat May 02 2026
Valid 021630Z - 031200Z
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE
NORTHERN/CENTRAL FLORIDA PENINSULA...
...SUMMARY...
Severe thunderstorms are possible across the northern and central
Florida Peninsula through early evening.
...Northern/Central Florida...
At midday, a line of gradually intensifying storms extends
northeast-southwestward across the northern Florida Peninsula to the
nearby Gulf, with additional offshore development occurring about as
far south as the Tampa Bay vicinity. This line will continue to move
inland and further intensify as the boundary layer warms inland in
conjunction with near-70F surface dewpoints. Some additional
more-discrete development may occur ahead of the line, potentially
focusing along the east coast. Damaging winds are the most probable
severe hazard as low/mid-level winds further strengthen, albeit with
a tendency for low-level veering over time. Even so, a tornado or
two could occur aside from damaging winds.
...Western Oregon/northern California...
Influenced by upper-jet exit region and the prominent trough off the
coast of Oregon/California, a few stronger storms may develop across
the region late this afternoon through early evening. While gusty
winds and/or small hail could occur, the potential for organized
severe storms should remain low given the modest instability and
weak deep-layer shear.
..Guyer/Chalmers.. 05/02/2026
Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC
http://dlvr.it/TSLFqD
SPC May 2, 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
0716 AM CDT Sat May 02 2026
Valid 021300Z - 031200Z
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE
NORTHERN/CENTRAL FLORIDA PENINSULA AND FAR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...
...SUMMARY...
Strong to severe storms are possible across southern Georgia into
northern/central Florida this morning into the early evening.
...Northern/Central Florida into far southeast Georgia...
Regional radar imagery shows a broad area of precipitation extending
from the northeast Gulf northeastward through the Carolinas.
Thunderstorms are ongoing within the southern portion of this
precipitation shield, from the northeast Gulf into central and
eastern FL Panhandle. This region is just downstream of a
low-amplitude shortwave trough and in the vicinity of an associated
surface low. Stronger ascent and modest buoyancy is favoring deeper
updrafts across this region compared to areas farther north.
Updrafts in this area have been fairly transient overnight and for
the first few hours this morning, likely resulting from a
combination of modest buoyancy, boundary-parallel deep-layer shear,
and elevated storm structures. Some improvement in storm
organization appears possible over the next few hours as the
low-level flow strengthens and convergence near the surface low
augments large-scale ascent. This better storm organization should
result in stronger updrafts and longer overall updraft persistence,
with an attendant increase in the risk for damaging gusts.
Additionally, there is enough low-level curvature to support a brief
tornado or two if surface-based storms can be realized.
Surface-based storms appear most probable over the northwest FL
vicinity and a small 5% tornado probability was delineated to
highlight this potential.
This area was also addressed in recently issued MCD #0635.
..Mosier/Dean.. 05/02/2026
Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC
http://dlvr.it/TSL3zC
Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0716 AM CDT Sat May 02 2026
Valid 021300Z - 031200Z
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE
NORTHERN/CENTRAL FLORIDA PENINSULA AND FAR SOUTHEAST GEORGIA...
...SUMMARY...
Strong to severe storms are possible across southern Georgia into
northern/central Florida this morning into the early evening.
...Northern/Central Florida into far southeast Georgia...
Regional radar imagery shows a broad area of precipitation extending
from the northeast Gulf northeastward through the Carolinas.
Thunderstorms are ongoing within the southern portion of this
precipitation shield, from the northeast Gulf into central and
eastern FL Panhandle. This region is just downstream of a
low-amplitude shortwave trough and in the vicinity of an associated
surface low. Stronger ascent and modest buoyancy is favoring deeper
updrafts across this region compared to areas farther north.
Updrafts in this area have been fairly transient overnight and for
the first few hours this morning, likely resulting from a
combination of modest buoyancy, boundary-parallel deep-layer shear,
and elevated storm structures. Some improvement in storm
organization appears possible over the next few hours as the
low-level flow strengthens and convergence near the surface low
augments large-scale ascent. This better storm organization should
result in stronger updrafts and longer overall updraft persistence,
with an attendant increase in the risk for damaging gusts.
Additionally, there is enough low-level curvature to support a brief
tornado or two if surface-based storms can be realized.
Surface-based storms appear most probable over the northwest FL
vicinity and a small 5% tornado probability was delineated to
highlight this potential.
This area was also addressed in recently issued MCD #0635.
..Mosier/Dean.. 05/02/2026
Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC
http://dlvr.it/TSL3zC
SPC May 2, 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
1227 AM CDT Sat May 02 2026
Valid 021200Z - 031200Z
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SOUTHERN
GEORGIA...EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE INTO NORTH AND CENTRAL
FLORIDA...
...SUMMARY...
Strong to severe storms are possible across southern Georgia into
northern/central Florida this morning into the early evening.
...Synopsis...
An upper-level trough will bring enhanced west-southwesterly flow
aloft across the southeast into the Gulf Coast Saturday. A cold
front extending across the northern Florida Peninsula into the Gulf
will shift south and east through the afternoon, as a focus of
severe thunderstorm development. Thunderstorm activity is expected
at the beginning of the period, some of which perhaps may be strong.
...Southern Georgia into central Florida...
Thunderstorm activity will likely be ongoing at the start of the
period early Saturday morning across the Gulf into the Florida
Panhandle and southern Georgia. A few stronger transient supercells
will be possible, mainly offshore south of the Florida coast where
better instability will overlap increasing upper-level flow.
Thunderstorm activity will increase in coverage inland and across
southern Georgia into the eastern Florida Panhandle and northern
Florida Peninsula through the morning into the afternoon. Moderately
unstable and strongly sheared profiles across the region will
support potential for damaging winds and large hail, especially with
embedded supercells. Given storm motions parallel to the southwest
to northeast oriented cold front, supercells will likely struggle to
remain discrete. As the low-level jet becomes displaced to the north
by late morning into the afternoon, mode may becoming increasingly
more clustered/linear. This may reduce the hail potential through
time.
Before the low-level jet shifts northward, risk for a tornado will
be possible across the northern peninsula near the front. There is a
narrow zone in north Florida where marginally stronger low-level
shear and boundary-layer destabilization may favorably align
mid/late morning for a higher tornado risk. Overall, confidence is
low in favorable overlap, with potential largely occurring outside
of peak daytime heating and with the low-level jet beginning to
shift northward. As mentioned, there is also concern about storm
motions and lack of more discrete supercells. This leads to too much
uncertainty in introducing higher tornado probabilities at this
time.
A Slight Risk was maintained across southern Georgia into the
eastern Florida Panhandle and northern/central Florida for the main
threats of damaging wind and large hail.
..Thornton/Lyons.. 05/02/2026
Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC
http://dlvr.it/TSKsND
Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1227 AM CDT Sat May 02 2026
Valid 021200Z - 031200Z
...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SOUTHERN
GEORGIA...EASTERN FLORIDA PANHANDLE INTO NORTH AND CENTRAL
FLORIDA...
...SUMMARY...
Strong to severe storms are possible across southern Georgia into
northern/central Florida this morning into the early evening.
...Synopsis...
An upper-level trough will bring enhanced west-southwesterly flow
aloft across the southeast into the Gulf Coast Saturday. A cold
front extending across the northern Florida Peninsula into the Gulf
will shift south and east through the afternoon, as a focus of
severe thunderstorm development. Thunderstorm activity is expected
at the beginning of the period, some of which perhaps may be strong.
...Southern Georgia into central Florida...
Thunderstorm activity will likely be ongoing at the start of the
period early Saturday morning across the Gulf into the Florida
Panhandle and southern Georgia. A few stronger transient supercells
will be possible, mainly offshore south of the Florida coast where
better instability will overlap increasing upper-level flow.
Thunderstorm activity will increase in coverage inland and across
southern Georgia into the eastern Florida Panhandle and northern
Florida Peninsula through the morning into the afternoon. Moderately
unstable and strongly sheared profiles across the region will
support potential for damaging winds and large hail, especially with
embedded supercells. Given storm motions parallel to the southwest
to northeast oriented cold front, supercells will likely struggle to
remain discrete. As the low-level jet becomes displaced to the north
by late morning into the afternoon, mode may becoming increasingly
more clustered/linear. This may reduce the hail potential through
time.
Before the low-level jet shifts northward, risk for a tornado will
be possible across the northern peninsula near the front. There is a
narrow zone in north Florida where marginally stronger low-level
shear and boundary-layer destabilization may favorably align
mid/late morning for a higher tornado risk. Overall, confidence is
low in favorable overlap, with potential largely occurring outside
of peak daytime heating and with the low-level jet beginning to
shift northward. As mentioned, there is also concern about storm
motions and lack of more discrete supercells. This leads to too much
uncertainty in introducing higher tornado probabilities at this
time.
A Slight Risk was maintained across southern Georgia into the
eastern Florida Panhandle and northern/central Florida for the main
threats of damaging wind and large hail.
..Thornton/Lyons.. 05/02/2026
Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC
http://dlvr.it/TSKsND
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