INDIANA — Concern is increasing for parts of southeast Iowa, central and northern Illinois, and northwest Indiana on Tuesday, March 10, as a potentially dangerous severe weather setup begins to take shape near a warm front draped across the region.
Forecast analysis points to a corridor from near Cedar Rapids and Davenport, Iowa, east through Peoria and Springfield, Illinois, and into northwest Indiana near Fort Wayne, where the ingredients for significant severe weather may overlap.
Tornado Parameter Raising Alarms
Meteorologists are flagging elevated tornado parameters in this zone — especially near and just south of the warm front.
If discrete supercells can become established in this environment, the setup could support:
- A few tornadoes
- Large, potentially tennis ball-sized hail
- The possibility of a strong (EF3+) tornado
The greatest concern appears focused along the warm front boundary, where wind fields and instability are expected to be most favorable for rotating storms.
Backed Surface Winds Increase Rotation Potential
One of the most notable features in this setup is the presence of backed surface winds…