Strong winds and rain showers are expected to sweep across the Chicago area over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, the National Weather Service said.

Friday could be the warmest day of the year so far, with a high of 73 degrees, but with winds of 15 to 20 mph. Wind gusts could reach 40 mph.

Severe thunderstorms are possible Friday night, with forecasters predicting a 100% chance of rain.

The thunderstorms “could be kind of a severe weather outbreak from southern Iowa, Missouri, western Illinois,” NWS meteorologist Casey Sullivan said. “And as those storms move into our area … they could be on a weakening trend, so it’s kind of a little bit uncertain exactly how widespread and how strong the severe weather could be.”

[4:51 PM CDT 3/12]Strong southerly winds Fri-Sat, strongest expected on Saturday (from south-southwest), when gusts to around 50 mph are expected area-wide, & damaging wind gusts > 55 mph are possible. Stay tuned for updates and plan ahead for the strong winds. #ILwx #INwx (1/2) pic.twitter.com/rDfv4LRoSd

— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) March 12, 2025

Winds will linger, but the skies will clear up for Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Chicago.

A high of 65 degrees is forecast for Saturday morning and winds could gust up to 50 mph. Cooler air entering the area will bring a low of 33 degrees Saturday night with mostly cloudy skies and a small chance of rain.

The powerful winds can potentially blow large objects around, knocking down trees and power lines, and could make for hazardous travel conditions, the weather service said. People are advised to secure loose items, such as patio furniture, sports equipment and trash cans.

“During high winds, tree damage is expected, and loose objects can become airborne and dangerous,” the weather service said in a statement. “You are safest indoors, away from windows, in an interior room.”

Sunday’s forecast calls for sunny skies, and the high is expected to be 43 degrees.