Severe thunderstorms likely, tornadoes possible in Springfield area Tuesday night

The National Weather Service in Lincoln said severe thunderstorms are likely to move across the Interstate 55 corridor Tuesday evening with tornadoes a possibility.

Sangamon, Logan and Christian counties are all in the line.

Wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph and hail are also possible, the NWS added.

More: 'My dream as a teacher died.' Springfield teachers continue to express concern over safety

Tuesday afternoon, NWS put out a special message about winds creating difficult for high profile, lightweight vehicles, especially on east west roads. It also warned that dry topsoil and recently plowed fields could lead to areas of blowing dust, creating sharply reduced visibility over short distances in rural areas.

The window for the most severe threats appears to be 8 to 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to NWS tweets. As of Tuesday morning, the area is considered to be at a 3 out of 5 for severe weather.

While the Springfield area is looking at thunderstorms, parts of northwest Illinois could see wind gusts closer to 80 mph and tornadoes are more likely to occur. Parts of northwest Illinois is at a 4 out of 5 for severe weather.

Thunderstorms could return to the Springfield area Thursday and throughout the Memorial Day weekend.

This story will be updated.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@sj-r.com; X, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Strong storms, tornadoes possible for central Illinois Tuesday