Illinois tulip farms are set to bloom, but Chicago forecast calls for rain, storms – NBC Chicago

Illinois tulip farms offer colorful scenery, but rain and storms heading toward the Chicago area could spoil your weekend plans to see the festive blooms.

This weekend at Richardson Farm in Spring Grove, about 600,000 tulips are expected to bloom. And in Maple Park, at the Kuiper Family Farm, organizers expected the fields to be “in full bloom.”

With showers and storms on the way, Saturday could be the best day to spend outside, the NBC 5 Storm Team said.

An active weather pattern for the weekend is expected to set in around 11 a.m. Friday, with patchy waves of showers and storms, NBC 5 meteorologist Alicia Roman said. These showers and storms are expected to continue Friday evening, Roman said, with some thunderstorms potentially strong or severe.

Friday afternoon and evening, some areas in the west, including DeKalb, Kane, Grundy and LaSalle counties, will be under a “marginal” risk of severe weather, which ranks as level one out of five on the scale severe weather forecast from the Storm Prediction Center.

According to Roman, the main risks associated with Friday’s system are damaging wind gusts and the risk of hail.

Temperatures Friday will remain in the 50s and 60s, Roman said. But after that, a warm-up was expected.

According to Roman, temperatures Saturday and Sunday will be unseasonably warm, with highs in the mid-70s to low-80s. However, waves of showers and thunderstorms are expected to remain in the forecast.

Much of Saturday could remain dry, Roman said, although a slight chance of a strong storm in the afternoon or evening remains forecast. Higher chances of rain and storms return Sunday afternoon, Roman said, some of which could be stronger.

The active weather pattern is expected to continue through Monday, Roman said.