ILLINOIS — A tornado watch has been issued for a large portion of Illinois, with the National Weather Service warning of conditions favorable for tornadoes through Thursday evening.
Tornado Watch 89 remains in effect until 8 p.m. CDT and includes more than 30 counties across northern, central and western Illinois.
Counties included in the watch are Adams, Boone, Brown, Bureau, Carroll, Cass, DeKalb, Fulton, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Henry, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Lee, Marshall, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, Menard, Mercer, Morgan, Ogle, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Rock Island, Schuyler, Scott, Stark, Stephenson, Tazewell, Warren, Whiteside, Winnebago and Woodford.
Major cities and communities impacted include Rockford, DeKalb, Elgin, Aurora, Joliet, Peoria, Galesburg, Quincy and areas throughout the Illinois River Valley.
A tornado watch means that weather conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. Residents in the affected areas are urged to stay alert, monitor local weather updates and be prepared to take shelter if warnings are issued.
The National Weather Service said the watch is part of a broader system impacting portions of the Midwest, including parts of Iowa, Wisconsin and Missouri.
Officials advise residents to have multiple ways to receive weather alerts and to move to a safe location immediately if a tornado warning is issued.
The situation will continue to be monitored throughout the evening.
