LIVE MAP (ABOVE) ... SPC 1200Z Day 1 Outlook
Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1236 AM CDT Sun May 03 2026
Valid 031200Z - 041200Z
...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR PARTS OF
NORTHERN/CENTRAL MISSOURI INTO CENTRAL ILLINOIS...
...SUMMARY...
A few strong thunderstorms are possible across parts of
northern/central Missouri and central Illinois on Sunday.
...Synopsis...
A short-wave trough with a belt of enhanced northwesterly flow
within the broader eastern US trough will overspread the Missouri
Valley through this evening. A weak cold front will extend across
portions of the central Plains into the Missouri Valley. This
boundary will be the focus for potential isolated thunderstorm
development as the short-wave moves in across the region by the
evening.
...Northern/central Missouri into central Illinois...
Moisture quality continues to be a question within the Marginal Risk
area as previously stated in prior outlooks. Surface observations
show 50s dew points have made it as far north as the Red River in
southern Oklahoma as of late Saturday evening. There remains some
question just how far north (or deep) this moisture will be by late
afternoon across Missouri/Illinois. Most 00z guidance suggests that
50 F dew points will steadily spread into Missouri through the day
today. However, afternoon sounding profiles suggest this moisture to
be thin and potentially subject to mixing. Through the afternoon,
weak convergence along the front and a mid-level capping inversion
will likely prohibit convective development. As the short-wave
ascent arrives in the evening, 00z HREF guidance suggest that at
least isolated thunderstorms may develop (as seen in ensemble paint
balls >40z dBZ and in calibrated thunder chances around 40-50%).
Temperatures aloft will be rather cold (around -20 C at 500 mb).
Even upper 40s F dewpoints will result in around 1000 to perhaps
1500 J/kg MLCAPE by late afternoon/early evening. Given steepening
lapse rate profiles and cold temperatures aloft, potential for a few
instances of severe hail and strong to severe winds will be
possible.
...Northern California/southwest Oregon...
Convection is possible during the afternoon as mid-level
temperatures cool in close proximity to the upper low off the coast.
Filtered surface heating could allow for a few stronger storms to
develop. Small hail and gusty winds are possible. Anvil-level flow
will be quite weak which will likely lead to storms that are only
strong briefly. The overall severe potential appears low.
..Thornton/Lyons.. 05/03/2026
Read more CHECK UPDATE ZOOM GRAPHIC
http://dlvr.it/TSLVtY
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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)
Sunday, May 3, 2026
SPC May 3, 2026 0600 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
Saturday, May 2, 2026
SPC May 3, 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
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
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
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
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