Tornado watch issued for Whiteside, Carroll counties

MOLINE — The National Weather Service Quad-Cities office has issued a tornado watch for Whiteside and Carroll counties in northwestern Illinois in effect until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Strong to severe storms are expected Tuesday throughout the day and into the evening in that area, with large hail, possibly over golf ball size, damaging winds and tornadoes possible, according to the NWS.

Conditions in Ogle and Lee counties and most of northern Illinois also point to an elevated thunderstorm risk throughout Tuesday and into the evening. Fairly widespread thunderstorms are forecast in the late afternoon through this evening, some of which may be strong to severe.

A threat for tornadoes may accompany the most intense thunderstorms, along with damaging hail and winds, according to the NWS’s Chicago office. A relatively higher tornado threat exists west of I-39. Southeasterly winds will gust up to 40 mph this afternoon into the early evening, with the potential for sporadic gusts up to 45 mph near and south of I-80.