SPC Convective Outlook Day 1

See Product Description

317
ACUS01 KWNS 271942
SWODY1
SPC AC 271940

Day 1 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0140 PM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

Valid 272000Z - 281200Z

...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST...

...SUMMARY...
Isolated-to-scattered thunderstorms are expected over portions of
the Southeast and Florida today. While a few strong storms may
develop through this evening, the threat of organized severe
thunderstorms appears low.

...20z Update - Southeast...

No changes have been made to the outlook at 20z. See previous
discussion below for details.

..Leitman.. 02/27/2026

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1010 AM CST Fri Feb 27 2026/

...Southeast...
A southward-advancing cold front is decelerating this morning across
the FL Panhandle and southeastern GA. This front is expected to
stall across the northern FL Peninsula today as a mid-level
shortwave trough evident in water vapor imagery moves eastward
across the Southeast. Diurnal heating of a moist low-level airmass
is underway ahead of the front, as low-level clouds have eroded
across much of the FL Peninsula this morning. Relatively modest
lapse rates should hinder the development of MLCAPE exceeding 1000
J/kg. Furthermore, low-level convergence along the front is expected
to remain limited. Even so, isolated to scattered thunderstorms
should eventually develop this afternoon into the evening, focused
across parts of the northern/central FL Peninsula along and south of
the front. While a stronger thunderstorm or two with gusty winds may
occur, especially along/near the eastern FL coast, the weak
instability, modest lapse rates aloft, and marginal deep-layer shear
all suggest that the risk for organized severe thunderstorms should
remain low today.

$$

The "Convective Outlooks" issued by SPC can be thought of as a detailed discussion of the Severe Thunderstorm threat and it's associated risks nationwide. Risk levels range from Marginal to Slight, Enhanced, Moderate, and High and are issued based on the likelihood of 3 major severe weather threats; the risk of tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail. These discussions are often heavily laced meteorological terminology that may be difficult to understand without a background in the field. However understanding these discussions shouldn't be thought of as necessary. Instead, should DuPage county fall under one of these threat levels for severe weather, the response should be to have a heightened level of awareness about the deveoloping weather. Keep an eye on the "Watch County Notification" for any active severe weather watches issued for DuPage county; the "Hazardous Weather Outlook" and "Severe Weather Statement" can also be helpful in explaining the developing risk; additionally, watch for "Active Weather Warnings" and keep an eye on our "Regional Satellite and Radar" products which can be viewed with active watches/warnings or lightning activity.

Hazardous Weather Outlook

See Product Description

149
FLUS43 KLOT 271931
HWOLOT

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville IL
131 PM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

ILZ003>006-008-010>013-019>021-023-032-033-039-103>108-INZ001-002-
010-011-019-281945-
Winnebago-Boone-McHenry-Lake IL-Ogle-Lee-De Kalb-Kane-DuPage-
La Salle-Kendall-Grundy-Kankakee-Livingston-Iroquois-Ford-
Northern Cook-Central Cook-Southern Cook-Northern Will-
Southern Will-Eastern Will-Lake IN-Porter-Newton-Jasper-Benton-
131 PM CST Fri Feb 27 2026 /231 PM EST Fri Feb 27 2026/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central
Illinois...northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

Elevated Fire Weather Risk.

DISCUSSION...

Dry, windy, and warm conditions will support a threat of grass
and brush fire spread through early this evening.


.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Saturday and Sunday...
Limited Snow Risk.


DISCUSSION...

A pair of storm systems may graze portions of the area with
accumulating snow this weekend, favoring areas near and north of
the Wisconsin state line Saturday afternoon and central portions
of Illinois Sunday night.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be necessary through tonight.

$$

LMZ740>745-281945-
Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor IL-
Wilmette Harbor to Northerly Island IL-
Northerly Island to Calumet Harbor IL-
Calumet Harbor IL to Gary IN-Gary to Burns Harbor IN-
Burns Harbor to Michigan City IN-
131 PM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Illinois
nearshore waters of Lake Michigan and the Indiana nearshore
waters of Lake Michigan.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

Hazardous conditions for small craft.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Saturday and Sunday...
Hazardous conditions for small craft are likely.
Wednesday and Thursday...
Hazardous conditions for small craft are likely.

$$

KJB

Visit us at www.weather.gov/chicago

The "Hazardous Weather Outlook" contains information regarding any and all weather expected to occur within the region that could be hazardous to travel, life or property. This is one of our most highly recommended products to check on a daily basis, and it some cases multiple times per day should significant weather be expected to affect DuPage county.

SPC Convective Outlook Day 2

See Product Description

673
ACUS02 KWNS 271724
SWODY2
SPC AC 271722

Day 2 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1122 AM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

Valid 281200Z - 011200Z

...THERE IS A MARGINAL RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FOR PARTS OF THE
SOUTHEAST FLORIDA COAST...

...SUMMARY...
Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across parts of
the Florida Peninsula Saturday afternoon and evening. Thunderstorms
are also anticipated across portions of northern California into
Oregon and Nevada as well as Oklahoma into the Ozark Plateau.

...Synopsis...
A broad northwest flow regime is expected to persist across the
CONUS through Saturday. Thunderstorm chances will largely be focused
in proximity to a pair of embedded upper-level shortwave troughs
over the eastern Gulf and off the northern CA coast. At the surface,
a cold front associated with an intensifying cyclone over the
Canadian Prairies will push south and east across the Plains and
Midwest over the next 36-48 hours, eventually stalling across OK and
the Ozark Plateau late Saturday into early Sunday morning. Weak
ascent along this frontal zone will promote isolated thunderstorm
chances.

...Florida...
Mid-morning surface observations depict a cold front drifting
southeast into the northern Gulf and Southeast. This feature is
expected to gradually migrate southward over the next 48 hours as
surface high pressure builds across the Southeast. However, gradual
frontolysis is expected, which will help maintain the moist air mass
building across southern to central FL, where dewpoints have
increased to the upper 60s and low 70s. An upper wave over the
northern Gulf will overspread the FL Peninsula around peak heating
Saturday. Modest broad-scale ascent within a moist, weakly capped,
and fairly unstable (1000-1500 J/kg MLCAPE) air mass should promote
isolated to scattered thunderstorms. 30-40 knot mid-level flow
attendant to the upper wave will allow for adequate hodograph
elongation for organized thunderstorms capable of severe hail and
damaging winds. Diminishing low-level convergence along the frontal
zone casts uncertainty on overall storm coverage, but most 12z CAMs
and global guidance show a consistent QPF signal along the
southeastern FL coast where localized sea-breeze convergence/ascent
may increase thunderstorm chances.

....Northern California and adjacent states...
A low-amplitude upper disturbance is noted in morning water-vapor
imagery well off the northern CA coast approaching the crest of the
longwave ridge. This feature will begin moving inland across
northern CA by late Saturday morning, reaching the western Great
Basin by evening/overnight. An influx of moisture from the Pacific
will support deep moistening of profiles across the region. This,
combined with steepening lapse rates/cooling temperatures aloft,
will support favorable buoyancy for isolated to scattered
thunderstorms. MUCAPE is forecast to generally be near/below 250
J/kg, but pockets of higher buoyancy (closer to 500 J/kg) appear
possible based on recent CAMs, which may support storms capable of
small hail and gusty winds.

....Oklahoma into the Ozark Plateau...
Surface high pressure currently positioned over the Texarkana region
will migrate east/southeast over the next 24 hours in the wake of
the ongoing frontal passage into the northern Gulf/Southeast.
Southerly flow on the western periphery of this high, coupled with
modest lee troughing along the High Plains, will promote modest
moisture return through Saturday evening. Isolated showers and weak
thunderstorms appear possible Saturday afternoon within the
low-level warm advection regime with a slight uptick in convection
anticipated late evening/overnight as the approaching cold front
settles into the region. Model consensus suggests buoyancy profiles
will be too limited to support intense convection.

..Moore.. 02/27/2026

$$

The "Convective Outlooks" issued by SPC can be thought of as a detailed discussion of the Severe Thunderstorm threat and it's associated risks nationwide. Risk levels range from Marginal to Slight, Enhanced, Moderate, and High and are issued based on the likelihood of 3 major severe weather threats; the risk of tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail. These discussions are often heavily laced meteorological terminology that may be difficult to understand without a background in the field. However understanding these discussions shouldn't be thought of as necessary. Instead, should DuPage county fall under one of these threat levels for severe weather, the response should be to have a heightened level of awareness about the deveoloping weather. Keep an eye on the "Watch County Notification" for any active severe weather watches issued for DuPage county; the "Hazardous Weather Outlook" and "Severe Weather Statement" can also be helpful in explaining the developing risk; additionally, watch for "Active Weather Warnings" and keep an eye on our "Regional Satellite and Radar" products which can be viewed with active watches/warnings or lightning activity.

SPC Convective Outlook Day 3

See Product Description

329
ACUS03 KWNS 271919
SWODY3
SPC AC 271918

Day 3 Convective Outlook
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0118 PM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

Valid 011200Z - 021200Z

...NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AREAS FORECAST...

...SUMMARY...
Thunderstorms will be possible on Sunday across parts of south
Florida, the southern and central Plains, and in northern
California.

...Synopsis...
The mean northwesterly flow regime currently over the CONUS will
gradually begin to shift east through the late weekend and into
early next week as a somewhat more potent upper-level wave
approaches the West Coast. Cooling temperatures aloft associated
with the approaching upper wave will support adequate buoyancy for
isolated thunderstorms across CA and into OR, NV, and parts of
southwest ID late Sunday afternoon into the evening hours. Further
east, strengthening mid-level flow across the central Rockies will
promote weak lee cyclogenesis in proximity to a residual baroclinic
zone across the southern Plains. An uptick in low-level winds will
augment isentropic upglide over the frontal zone across OK into
eastern KS, southwest MO, and northwest AR. Strong mid-level winds
atop strong veering in the lowest few kilometers will conditionally
support organized convection; however, most guidance suggests
buoyancy profiles will remain fairly limited (less than 500 J/kg
MUCAPE per GEFS/ECENS output) due to meager moisture quality. This
limits confidence in any severe threat at this time. Isolated
thunderstorms may linger across southern FL where an unstable, but
weakly capped, environment should be in place as a weak frontal
boundary drifts south.

..Moore.. 02/27/2026

$$

The "Convective Outlooks" issued by SPC can be thought of as a detailed discussion of the Severe Thunderstorm threat and it's associated risks nationwide. Risk levels range from Marginal to Slight, Enhanced, Moderate, and High and are issued based on the likelihood of 3 major severe weather threats; the risk of tornadoes, damaging winds, and hail. These discussions are often heavily laced meteorological terminology that may be difficult to understand without a background in the field. However understanding these discussions shouldn't be thought of as necessary. Instead, should DuPage county fall under one of these threat levels for severe weather, the response should be to have a heightened level of awareness about the deveoloping weather. Keep an eye on the "Watch County Notification" for any active severe weather watches issued for DuPage county; the "Hazardous Weather Outlook" and "Severe Weather Statement" can also be helpful in explaining the developing risk; additionally, watch for "Active Weather Warnings" and keep an eye on our "Regional Satellite and Radar" products which can be viewed with active watches/warnings or lightning activity.

Special Weather Statement

See Product Description

648
WWUS83 KLOT 271540
SPSLOT

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville IL
940 AM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

ILZ010>013-019>021-023-032-033-039-103>108-272300-
Lee-De Kalb-Kane-DuPage-La Salle-Kendall-Grundy-Kankakee-
Livingston-Iroquois-Ford-Northern Cook-Central Cook-Southern Cook-
Northern Will-Southern Will-Eastern Will-
Including the cities of Dixon, DeKalb, Sycamore, Aurora, Elgin,
Naperville, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Lombard, Carol Stream,
Ottawa, Streator, La Salle, Mendota, Marseilles, Oswego,
Yorkville, Plano, Morris, Coal City, Minooka, Kankakee,
Bourbonnais, Bradley, Pontiac, Dwight, Fairbury, Watseka, Gilman,
Paxton, Gibson City, Evanston, Des Plaines, Schaumburg, Palatine,
Northbrook, Chicago, Cicero, Oak Lawn, Oak Park, La Grange,
Calumet City, Oak Forest, Lemont, Orland Park, Park Forest,
Joliet, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, Mokena, Channahon, Manhattan,
Wilmington, Crete, Peotone, and Beecher
940 AM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

...THREAT FOR BRUSH AND GRASS FIRE SPREAD THIS AFTERNOON.

The combination of warm temperatures in the low to mid 60s,
relative humidity values dropping to the 25 to 35 percent range,
and southwest winds gusting 30 to 35 mph will lead to a threat for
brush and grass fire spread this afternoon.

Limit outdoor activities that involve open flame or sparks,
including operating farm equipment, parking on grass, and
improperly discarding smoking materials.

$$

Borchardt

The "Special Weather Statement" details notable weather either occuring or expected to occur, but does not necessarily have to be considered severe or hazardous. This is a supplementary product issued by the National Weather Service to help describe noteworthy weather. It's terminology should be reasonably easy to understand by the general public.

Watch County Notification

See Product Description

No active Watch County Notification for DuPage County.

The "Watch County Notification" will contain updates regarding active severe weather watches that pertain to DuPage county. This may be for a newly issued watch, or the cancelation of an existing watch. Severe weather watches come in two forms; Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado, and it should be noted that a Severe Thunderstorm Watch does NOT rule out the possibility of tornadoes occuring. It generally means that the tornado threat is minimal while damaging winds and hail are still likely. See our "Watch, Warning, and Advisory Criteria" for more detailed information on the differences and critera for watches, warnings and advisory for all forms of weather.

Winter Weather Statement

See Product Description

No active Winter Weather Statement for DuPage County.

The "Winter Weather Statement" is a product aimed at the general public that will discuss impacts caused by winter weather. This may include information about watches, warnings and advisories as well as details about impactful winter weather that may not warrant the issuance of a watch, warning or advisory.

Severe Weather Statement

See Product Description

No active Severe Weather Statement for DuPage County.

The "Severe Weather Statement" is a product aimed at the general public that will discuss impacts caused by severe thunderstorms. This may include information about watches and warnings as well as details about impactful "sub-severe" weather that may not warrant the issuance of a watch or warning which sometimes may come when a watch or warning has been canceled.

Non-Precip Statement

See Product Description

242
WWUS73 KLOT 271416
NPWLOT

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Chicago IL
816 AM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

ILZ011>013-019>021-023-104>108-271530-
/O.CAN.KLOT.FG.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-260227T1500Z/
De Kalb-Kane-DuPage-La Salle-Kendall-Grundy-Kankakee-Central Cook-
Southern Cook-Northern Will-Southern Will-Eastern Will-
Including the cities of Streator, Manhattan, Elgin, Plainfield,
Lombard, Mokena, DeKalb, Oswego, Bourbonnais, Morris, Plano,
Wheaton, Oak Forest, Coal City, Naperville, Channahon, Orland
Park, Park Forest, Crete, Chicago, Joliet, Bradley, Peotone,
Yorkville, Carol Stream, Calumet City, Minooka, La Grange,
Aurora, La Salle, Lemont, Beecher, Sycamore, Kankakee,
Bolingbrook, Downers Grove, Oak Lawn, Cicero, Wilmington,
Mendota, Ottawa, Oak Park, and Marseilles
816 AM CST Fri Feb 27 2026

...DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

Webcams and observations of visibility confirm that fog is eroding
as expected this morning. With most areas no longer experiencing
visibility below one quarter of a mile, the Dense Fog Advisory will
be cancelled early.

$$

Borchardt

The "Non-Precip Statement" is aimed at the general public and will detail notable weather that is either occuring or expected to occur, but does not relate to any form of precipitation. These would include but are not limited to high winds, reduced visibility or extreme temperatures.

Active Weather Warnings

Tornado Warnings

No active Tornado Warnings.

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings

No active Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.

Flood Warnings

No active Flood Warnings.

General Tornado/Severe Weather Safety

1. A Tornado or Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued when it has been reported, or when it has been detected via National Weather Service radar. It is to be interpreted that this event is occuring and is expected to affect all warned areas. Those within the warning need to take action immediately.
2. If under a warning remain calm and if it is necessary to seek shelter. Students and Employees should head to their nearest designated shelter area. The route to these shelter areas are posted in all rooms on campus and signs are placed in the hallways to direct you to the nearest shelter area. Review these instructions and be familiar with where your nearest shelter is. Stay indoors, away from windows and large unsupported ceilings. Faculty should account for their students and Supervisors should account for their areas employees.
3. If outside, take shelter in the nearest building.
4. After the storm has passed, dial Police at 911 to report any injuries or damage to buildings.
5. If the building is severely damaged, evacuate the building as soon as possible after the storm has passed.