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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.

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

Thursday, July 9, 2026

SPC Jul 9, 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
1255 AM CDT Thu Jul 09 2026

Valid 091200Z - 101200Z

...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF
THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PLAINS...AND FROM THE OZARKS INTO THE LOWER
OHIO VALLEY...

...SUMMARY...
Thunderstorms with severe wind gusts and hail will be possible this
afternoon and evening across parts of the central and northern
Plains. Severe wind gusts may also occur in parts of the Ozarks, mid
Mississippi Valley, lower Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic and Arizona.

...Central and Northern Plains...
A mid-level shortwave trough will move through the central and
northern Plains today. Ahead of the trough, a moist and unstable
airmass will be in place from the Dakotas southward into Nebraska,
where surface dewpoints will mostly be in the 60s F. As surface
temperatures warm, moderate instability will develop across much of
the region. Along and near the instability axis, MLCAPE is forecast
to increase into the 2500 to 3500 J/kg range. As instability peaks
late this afternoon, low-level convergence will likely become
maximized along a surface trough from the western Dakotas southward
into eastern Colorado. This will aid convective initiation, with
several clusters developing and moving eastward across the central
and northern High Plains. In the vicinity of the instability axis,
moderate deep-layer shear and steep mid-level lapse rate will
support a threat for severe wind gusts and isolated large hail.
Hailstones of greater than 2 inches in diameter will be possible
across parts of central and northern North Dakota where instability
and deep-layer shear will be favorable for supercells.

Further south into parts of western and central Kansas, an
east-to-west axis of low-level moisture will be in place. Some model
forecasts suggest that an organized line of storms will develop and
move eastward along this axis during the early to mid evening.
Severe wind gusts will be possible with this line of storms.

...Ozarks/Mid Mississippi and Lower Ohio Valley...
A very moist airmass will be in place today from the Ozarks eastward
into the lower Ohio Valley, where surface dewpoints will be in the
mid to upper 70s F. In response to surface heating, moderate to
strong instability is expected to develop by afternoon across parts
of the mid Mississippi Valley. Some model solutions have an axis of
low-level convergence located from central Missouri eastward to
southern Indiana, suggesting that convective coverage could be
maximized along this corridor. The instability, along with steep low
to mid-level lapse rates will be favorable for severe wind gusts
with any line segment that can become organized.

...Mid-Atlantic...
A mid-level shortwave trough will move through the southern
Appalachians today and approach the Mid-Atlantic. Ahead of this
feature, a moist and unstable airmass will be in place with surface
dewpoints in the mid to upper 70s F. This will contribute to a
pocket of moderate to strong instability by afternoon. Thunderstorms
that develop in the higher terrain of the central Appalachians will
move eastward into the Mid-Atlantic during the late afternoon and
early evening. Forecast deep-layer shear appears sufficient to
support a severe threat. The instability and steep low-level lapse
rates will contribute to a potential for severe wind gusts with the
stronger multicells.

...Southeast Arizona...
An axis of instability is forecast to develop today across southeast
Arizona. Near this axis, low-level convergence will become maximized
during the afternoon, which will result in isolated to scattered
convective initiation. Storms that form near the instability axis as
low-level lapse rates peak in the late afternoon could produce
isolated severe wind gusts.

..Broyles/Moore.. 07/09/2026


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