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CHICAGO (WLS) — A round of severe storms are expected to move into the Chicago area Friday night, with strong winds continuing onto Saturday during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
Friday is forecast to be very warm with highs well into the 70s and potentially as high as 80 with wind gusts up to 45 miles-per-hour, ABC7 Accuweather Meteorologist Tracy Butler said.
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Butler says the severe storms will start moving into the area around 10 p.m. and move out around 3 a.m.
The storms are expected to move rapidly and are expected to be more severe further south.
The Storm Prediction Center the Chicago area at a Level 3 risk for severe storms, with a Level 4 risk for areas further downstate and a Level 2 risk for southern Wisconsin.
The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory, which will go into effect at 4 p.m. and remain in effect until 4 a.m. Saturday.
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A High Wind Watch will go into effect for the Chicago area Saturday at 8 a.m. and remain in effect until 2 p.m.
Saturday’s forecast calls for highs in the 60s with wind gusts up between 50-60 mph.
Sunday will be much colder, with a high around 40.
High winds could play havoc with St. Pat’s celebrations
it’s a big weekend to be outside with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations going on all across Chicago.
Chief O’Neill’s has been celebrating St. Patrick’s Day for decades. The entire restaurant is decked out in green and ready to go.
The owners say they are so excited to spread some Irish cheer, but are also keeping a very close eye on that windy forecast.
Siobhan McKinney said her Northwest Side Irish restaurant Chief O’Neill’s is ready for whatever blows their way.
“We’ve weathered many storms, so we’re pretty sure everybody will be okay and that everybody will be safe. So hopefully everything will go well,” McKinney said.
Chief O’Neill’s, like many bars and restaurants across Chicago this weekend, have set up large tents to accommodate as many people as possible celebrating the holiday.
Massive cement blocks and beams are holding the expansive tent in place.
McKinney says they have a contingency plan in place should the weather take an unexpected turn.
“We’ll be watching the weather very closely.,” McKinney said. “Some people will probably have to leave unfortunately and we can accommodate a lot of people in our dining room and in the pub.”
And with thousands of people planning to line Columbus Drive for the 70th annual downtown Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade and for the dyeing of the Chicago River city emergency leaders are issuing a public heads up before the festivities get underway.
The city’s Office of Emergency Management and Control writes in part, “OEMC will monitor all citywide events through a collaboration with public safety partners and will issue several alerts and notifications to keep residents up to date on weather conditions, street closures and emergencies.”
People getting in on the fun and all the green have this advice ahead of a windy St. Pat’s.
“If you’re going in a group, stay together it will be busy, it will be packed,” Cassie Adams said.
The owner’s of Chief O’Neill’s also said that if the winds gust up to a certain speed people inside the tent have to get out from under it.
Of course, they are hopeful everything will go as planned.
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