Tracking strong storms this evening, cooler rest of this week

TONIGHT: Strong storms possible after sunset, with heavy rain and strong winds into Wednesday morning. Temperatures remaining in the 60s through late evening.

TOMORROW: Rain and a few storms through about midday with falling temperatures to about 50 by late afternoon.

EXTENDED: A Weather Alert Day is in effect as strong to severe storms are possible through late tonight, particularly along and north of I-70. Storms have started to fire up along a front to our north, and with plenty of instability and warm dew points, storms could remain severe heading into late tonight. Discrete storms before midnight could bring the potential for very large hail and tornadoes, but a greater probability for that outcome lies across north central Illinois into Indiana. Storms will form more into a complex of heavy rain and embedded strong wind gusts through late tonight, bringing up to 1-2" of rain through about midday Wednesday. Temperatures fall behind the cold front with temperatures hovering near 50 by late afternoon. Thursday morning will be chilly with lows in the lower 30s. We'll bounce back to near 60 on Friday with a few more clouds as a disturbance passes by to our north. Expect a mild start to the weekend as we approach 70 on Saturday, but another front with more moisture in place plows through the region on Sunday, bringing showers during the day and a chance for snow showers through late Sunday night as temperatures drop into the upper teens to low 20s.