National Weather Service Chicago, Illinois facts for kids

The National Weather Service Chicago, located in Romeoville, Illinois, is like a super important weather center! Its main job is to keep an eye on the weather for 23 counties across Northern Illinois, the big Chicago metropolitan area, and Northwest Indiana. They help keep everyone safe by giving out weather forecasts and warnings.

The very first federal weather office in this area started way back on October 15, 1870, in Chicago. It was set up by the Army Signal Service. Later, in May 1894, the Chicago Weather Bureau got a huge new area to cover, stretching from the Great Lakes all the way to the Rocky Mountains!

Today, the National Weather Service Chicago is in Romeoville. It's responsible for creating local forecasts and issuing weather warnings for the Chicago area. Did you know it's one of only two National Weather Service offices in Illinois? The other one is in Lincoln, Illinois. The Romeoville office is right next to the Lewis University Airport.

NOAA Weather Radio: Your Weather Friend

This symbol means "NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio."

The National Weather Service Chicago office in Romeoville helps run 11 different NOAA Weather Radio stations. These stations broadcast important weather information 24/7, like a constant weather update just for you!

KWO39 Chicago: Keeping Lake Michigan Safe

This map shows the area KWO39 covers in Chicago.

KWO39 is a special radio station that helps people who are on Lake Michigan or living near its shores in Illinois and Indiana. It also shares important severe weather alerts for Cook, DuPage, and Lake counties in Illinois. Plus, it covers Lake and Porter counties in Indiana.

KWO39's Story: From Airplanes to Everyone

This station first started in 1954. Back then, it was just for pilots and people flying planes in the Chicago area. It stopped broadcasting for a bit in 1958. But then, Ivan Brunk, who was in charge of the Chicago weather office, suggested bringing it back for people on boats.

The marine weather broadcasts were a huge hit right away! So, the service became a permanent thing two years later. Through the 1960s, they added even more weather information for everyone, not just those on the water. In the early 1970s, the weather office moved. The radio's powerful 300-watt transmitter was moved to the Sears Tower (now called Willis Tower) in 1975.

KZZ81 Lockport: Covering a Big Area

This map shows the area KZZ81 covers in Lockport.

KZZ81 broadcasts weather and hazard information for many counties in Illinois, including Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, and Will. It also covers Lake County in Indiana.

This station gives hourly weather updates for places like O'Hare International Airport, Northerly Island (the Lakefront), Joliet, Aurora, Waukegan, Illinois, Springfield, Bloomington, Midway Airport, Rockford, and Kankakee.

KXI41 Crystal Lake: Illinois and Wisconsin Weather

This map shows the area KXI41 covers in Crystal Lake.

KXI41 shares weather and hazard information for Boone, Cook, Kane, Lake, and McHenry counties in Illinois. It also reaches into Kenosha and Walworth counties in Wisconsin.

KXI58 Plano: Keeping West Illinois Informed

KXI58 broadcasts weather and hazard information for DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle, and Will counties in Illinois.

KZZ57 Rockford: Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin

KZZ57 broadcasts weather and hazard information for Winnebago, Boone, Ogle, DeKalb, Lee, and Stephenson counties in Illinois. It also covers Green and Rock counties in Wisconsin.

Most of the weather information for these counties comes from the National Weather Service Chicago office in Romeoville, Illinois. However, warnings for Stephenson County come from the National Weather Service office in Davenport, Iowa. Warnings for Green and Rock counties in Wisconsin come from the National Weather Service office in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

WXK24 Odell: Central Illinois Updates

WXK24 broadcasts weather and hazard information for LaSalle, Grundy, Livingston, Ford, Will, Kankakee, Iroquois, Marshall, Woodford, and McLean counties in Illinois.

Most of the weather information for these counties comes from the National Weather Service Chicago office in Romeoville, Illinois. However, warnings for Marshall, Woodford, and McLean Counties come from the National Weather Service Central Illinois office in Lincoln, Illinois.

WNG536 DeKalb: Western Illinois Weather

WNG536 broadcasts weather and hazard information for DeKalb, Boone, Winnebago, Ogle, Lee, and Kane counties in Illinois.

KXI86 Crescent City: Illinois and Indiana

KXI86 broadcasts weather and hazard information for Ford, Kankakee, Iroquois, and Vermilion Counties in Illinois. It also covers Newton and Benton Counties in Indiana.

Most of the weather information for these counties comes from the National Weather Service Chicago office in Romeoville, Illinois. However, warnings for Vermilion County come from the National Weather Service Central Illinois office in Lincoln, Illinois.

KZZ55 Dixon: More Illinois Counties

KZZ55 broadcasts weather and hazard information for Ogle, Lee, Carroll, Whiteside, and Bureau Counties in Illinois.

Weather information for Ogle and Lee counties comes from the National Weather Service Chicago office in Romeoville, Illinois. Warnings for Carroll, Whiteside, and Bureau counties come from the National Weather Service office in Davenport, Iowa.

KZZ58 Kankakee: Illinois and Indiana Border

KZZ58 broadcasts weather and hazard information for Kankakee, Iroquois, and Will Counties in Illinois. It also covers Newton and Lake Counties in Indiana.

WNG689 Hebron: Indiana Weather Focus

WNG689 broadcasts weather and hazard information for Lake, Porter, Newton, Jasper, LaPorte, Starke, and Pulaski Counties in Indiana.

Most of the weather information for these counties comes from the National Weather Service Chicago office in Romeoville, Illinois. However, warnings for LaPorte, Starke, and Pulaski Counties come from the National Weather Service Northern Indiana office in Syracuse, Indiana.

Important Weather Stations

These are key locations where weather data is collected:

• O'Hare International Airport (Chicago)
• Chicago Rockford International Airport (Rockford)