Chicago City Wire

The National Weather Service has issued several weather advisories and warnings due to expected strong winds in the Chicago area. A Wind Advisory is in effect from 4 p.m. on Friday, March 14, to 7 a.m. on Saturday, March 15, with severe thunderstorms and potential tornadoes anticipated Friday night. Additionally, a High Wind Warning will be in place from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday, followed by another Wind Advisory until 5 p.m. A Fire Weather Watch is also active today because of the risk of uncontrolled brush fires.

For the High Wind Warning period, winds are expected to range from 30 to 40 mph with gusts reaching up to 60 mph. During the first Wind Advisory, wind speeds will be between 25 and 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph, while the second advisory predicts winds of 20-30 mph gusting up to 50 mph. A fast-moving line of thunderstorms may also pass through on Friday night.

The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) advises residents and businesses to secure outdoor items due to high winds during St. Patrick's Day activities this weekend. There is an increased risk of grass or brush fires spreading rapidly because of the wind conditions. Power outages are possible; fallen wires and emergencies should be reported by calling 9-1-1.

OEMC will oversee citywide events and weather conditions from its Operations Center, coordinating resources with local police, fire departments, and city infrastructure departments as needed.

Residents are encouraged to stay informed by downloading the Chicago OEMC App for updates on alerts and safety tips related to St Patrick’s Day events street closures.

Before any storm:

Sign up for NotifyChicago alerts at NotifyChicago.org or via TEXT alerts.

Visit the OEMC website at Chicago.gov/OEMC for more emergency preparedness information. Follow OEMC on Facebook (@coemc), Twitter (@ChicagoOEMC), and Instagram (chicago_oemc_911).