Metro-east at risk for severe storms, possible tornadoes this week. Here’s when
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Metro‑east faces 40–50% thunderstorm chance Thursday; 20–30% could turn severe.
- NWS warns of possible tornadoes, isolated hail and damaging winds midday to evening.
- Residents advised to monitor alerts, prepare emergency kits and plan safe sheltering.
Belleville residents can enjoy sunny skies with a high near 73 degrees Fahrenheit Wednesday, but conditions don’t look as favorable for the rest of the week.
There’s a 40 to 50% chance of thunderstorms in the metro-east Thursday, Feb. 19 with a 20 to 30% probability of the storms becoming severe, with the possibility of tornadoes, isolated hail and damaging winds, according to the National Weather Service.
“There’s a chance for a few tornadoes tomorrow,” Cole Peine, meteorologist with the NWS St. Louis office, told the News-Democrat Wednesday.
The general thunderstorm risk period is 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Peine said. The earlier storms around 10 a.m. to noon are expected to be less severe, with noon to 6 p.m. expected to be the riskiest time for severe thunderstorm development in Belleville.
The storm timing could shift, however, as the forecast is still 24 hours out, Peine added.
A cold front is expected to move through the St. Louis and metro-east region sometime Thursday.
“It’s not extremely cold for February standards, but it’s a lot colder than what we’re having the last few days,” Peine noted.
The forecast calls for temperatures between 37 and 69 degrees Thursday, 32 to 50 Friday, Feb. 20, 25 to 43 Saturday, Feb. 21 and 20 to 38 degrees Sunday, Feb. 22.
There’s a slight chance for snow in Belleville Saturday, with a roughly 20% chance of precipitation. If precipitation does fall, it’s likely to be light snow, Peine said, and accumulations are unlikely.
The cold front isn’t expected to last too long, with a gradual warm-up forecast next week.
How to prepare for potential severe weather in Belleville
It’s important to have multiple ways to receive warnings in case of severe weather, Peine said. While outdoor sirens can be helpful in the case of a tornado, they’re not always audible indoors. Your phone, TV and weather radio, if you have one, can be good sources of weather updates.
“If you are under a severe thunderstorm warning or tornado warning, make sure you stay away from exterior walls and windows,” Peine said.
When under a severe thunderstorm or tornado warning, Peine recommended going to the lowest level of your building, and try to stay in the most interior room available, surrounded by interior walls.
It’s a good idea to have an emergency plan not only for when you’re at home, but also for your workplace or other locations where you spend lots of time, according to the American Red Cross.
Other preparation tips include having a backup battery or way to charge your cell phone in case of a power outage, gathering food, water and medicine and monitoring local weather and news, the American Red Cross reports.
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