Central Illinois could see tornadoes tonight. How to sign up for alerts

Central Illinois is expected to be hit with tornado alerts Tuesday afternoon and evening, with the highest risk between 6 and 10 p.m.

The National Weather Service announced on X that a Tornado Watch is 95% likely in east-central Illinois through 4:30 p.m. The potential storm is forecast to reach a peak intensity of 2-3.5 inch hail, 55-70 mph winds and 120-150 mph tornadoes.

Here’s how to stay updated on weather alerts in your area.

How to sign up for weather alerts in Illinois

Most residents throughout Illinois will automatically receive Wireless Emergency Alerts on their mobile phones from the NWS, warning them of potentially dangerous weather in their area. These will look like normal text messages and will typically show the type and time of the alert, any action you should take and the agency issuing the alert. 

Other sources of information include NOAA Weather Radio, the Storm Prediction Center’s live map of nationwide tornado watches and the Emergency Alert System on radio and TV broadcasts.

Residents can also sign up for text alerts through their local county emergency management agency, such as NotifyChicago.

Sign up for USA TODAY Network weather alerts

Illinois residents can sign up for alerts from the USA TODAY Network to receive texts about current storms and weather events in their area.

Tornado watch vs warning

The NWS explains the difference between the varying tornado alert terminology on its website.

A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible in the area, while a tornado warning means a twister has been sighted or indicated by the weather radar. A tornado emergency is the most severe alert, meaning a violent tornado has touched down in the area.

The website uses the phrases “be prepared,” “take action” and “seek shelter immediately” to summarize the three alerts.

Central Illinois weather radar

Chicago weather radar