March 10th, 2026 Severe Threat

[frostfern]

Cell north of Bloomington just had a VIL burst.  This may overcome the pulsing phase and go full supercell.

[SchaumburgStormer]

4 minutes ago, frostfern said:

Cell north of Bloomington just had a VIL burst.  This may overcome the pulsing phase and go full supercell.

Starting to spin a bit right over Flanagan 

[frostfern]

1 minute ago, SchaumburgStormer said:

Starting to spin a bit right over Flanagan 

It seems to be trying to split in two.  

[HillsdaleMIWeather]

Not much forming yet on the west end back in Iowa yet it seems

[SchaumburgStormer]

Storm riding I-80 a bit further north bears watching as well

[Castaway]

Yeah the one nw of Pontiac is looking to drop one any minute now

[SchaumburgStormer]

Storm near Pontiac is trying. Needs a little boundary or something to give it a nudge 

[frostfern]

6 minutes ago, SchaumburgStormer said:

Storm riding I-80 a bit further north bears watching as well

That has a strong meso on it aloft, but it seems to be elevated.  Definitely a hail mode cell though.

[frostfern]

3 minutes ago, SchaumburgStormer said:

Storm near Pontiac is trying. Needs a little boundary or something to give it a nudge 

It’s getting that look now.  Grown in size too.

[SchaumburgStormer]

5 minutes ago, SchaumburgStormer said:

Storm near Pontiac is trying. Needs a little boundary or something to give it a nudge 

Streamer has a broadly rotating lowering just north of Pontiac 

[cyclone77]

Can see the Pontiac sup off in the east/southeastern horizon.  Looks pretty badass even from here.

[frostfern]

2 minutes ago, SchaumburgStormer said:

Streamer has a broadly rotating lowing just north of Pontiac 

It’s turning slightly right as well.  Its moving right of the warning cone.

 

[SchaumburgStormer]

1 minute ago, cyclone77 said:

Can see the Pontiac sup off in the east/southeastern horizon.  Looks pretty badass even from here.

Real close to dropping a big dog 

[vortex]

Pic from my son on the Pontiac cell. 

[Chicago Storm]

Near Pontiac currently.

[Chicago Storm]

Big Motion.

This wants to plant one.

[SchaumburgStormer]

and Twarned

[Castaway]

T warned now

[Chicago Storm]

Tornado OTG.

[frostfern]

Just now, SchaumburgStormer said:

and Twarned

Potential CC drop.

[SchaumburgStormer]

TOG

[Chicago Storm]

[therock]

Looks mean from 75 mi south. Good luck out there.

[SchaumburgStormer]

Just keeps looking better and better on radar. Matter of time before we got a beast otg 

[vortex]

[King James]

Which way this thing heading

[SchaumburgStormer]

Just now, King James said:

Which way this thing heading

ENE

[sbnwx85]

SPC might was well pull the trigger now

Mesoscale Discussion 0191
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   0453 PM CDT Tue Mar 10 2026

   Areas affected...portions of eastern Iowa into northern Illinois and
   southwestern lower Michigan.

   Concerning...Severe potential...Watch likely 

   Valid 102153Z - 102330Z

   Probability of Watch Issuance...95 percent

   SUMMARY...Scattered elevated supercells and bowing segments appear
   likely this afternoon/evening north of the east-west warm front. A
   risk for significant hail and damaging gusts is possible. A WW is
   likely needed shortly.

   DISCUSSION...As of 2145 UTC, mesoanalysis and radar observations
   showed an east-west oriented warm front stretching from eastern IA,
   across northern IL into southern lower MI. South of the front,
   temperatures in the 70s and 80s F amid mid to upper 60s F surface
   dewpoints are supporting moderate to large buoyancy of 2000-3000
   J/kg of MLCAPE. Strong destabilization is also ongoing in an
   elevated manner along and north of the boundary with 1500-2500 J/kg
   of MUCAPE despite cooler surface temperatures. Strong mid-level flow
   is overspreading the boundary supporting deep veering wind profiles
   supportive of organized severe storms.

   Weak surface convergence southeast of the front has ignited several
   supercells across northern IL this afternoon. As storms cross out of
   the Tornado Watch and the front, they will become elevated. With
   robust buoyancy and deep-layer shear greater than 50 kt, they are
   likely to remain intense and capable of large to very large hail.
   Recent CAM guidance and surface convergence near a surface low in
   IA/MO suggest numerous storms will develop within the elevated
   regime over the next few hours. 

   With time, these initial supercells are likely to grow upscale into
   elevated bows or clusters with a continued hail threat and possibly
   damaging winds associated with strong gravity waves propagating
   along the top of the stable surface layer. Given the increasing
   severe threat, a new WW is likely needed for eastern IA into
   northern IL and portions of western lower MI.

   ..Lyons/Hart.. 03/10/2026

[HillsdaleMIWeather]

Just now, sbnwx85 said:

SPC might was well pull the trigger now

Mesoscale Discussion 0191
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   0453 PM CDT Tue Mar 10 2026

   Areas affected...portions of eastern Iowa into northern Illinois and
   southwestern lower Michigan.

   Concerning...Severe potential...Watch likely 

   Valid 102153Z - 102330Z

   Probability of Watch Issuance...95 percent

   SUMMARY...Scattered elevated supercells and bowing segments appear
   likely this afternoon/evening north of the east-west warm front. A
   risk for significant hail and damaging gusts is possible. A WW is
   likely needed shortly.

   DISCUSSION...As of 2145 UTC, mesoanalysis and radar observations
   showed an east-west oriented warm front stretching from eastern IA,
   across northern IL into southern lower MI. South of the front,
   temperatures in the 70s and 80s F amid mid to upper 60s F surface
   dewpoints are supporting moderate to large buoyancy of 2000-3000
   J/kg of MLCAPE. Strong destabilization is also ongoing in an
   elevated manner along and north of the boundary with 1500-2500 J/kg
   of MUCAPE despite cooler surface temperatures. Strong mid-level flow
   is overspreading the boundary supporting deep veering wind profiles
   supportive of organized severe storms.

   Weak surface convergence southeast of the front has ignited several
   supercells across northern IL this afternoon. As storms cross out of
   the Tornado Watch and the front, they will become elevated. With
   robust buoyancy and deep-layer shear greater than 50 kt, they are
   likely to remain intense and capable of large to very large hail.
   Recent CAM guidance and surface convergence near a surface low in
   IA/MO suggest numerous storms will develop within the elevated
   regime over the next few hours. 

   With time, these initial supercells are likely to grow upscale into
   elevated bows or clusters with a continued hail threat and possibly
   damaging winds associated with strong gravity waves propagating
   along the top of the stable surface layer. Given the increasing
   severe threat, a new WW is likely needed for eastern IA into
   northern IL and portions of western lower MI.

   ..Lyons/Hart.. 03/10/2026

Kinda interesting how areas further east in IN/MI/OH might have a higher tornado chance than expected later because of where the front is

[sbnwx85]

Yeah, came back north quick. SBN jumped from 59/54 to 68/60 in an hour.