Alert archive / Illinois / Small Craft Advisories in 2026

Small Craft Advisory 21, NWS Chicago, IL

February 20, 2026

NWS Chicago, IL issued this small craft advisory at Feb 20, 2026, 2:44 PM CST. It took effect at Feb 20, 2026, 6:00 PM CST. It was in force for 10 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 20, 2026, 2:44 PM CST (20:44 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 20, 2026, 6:00 PM CST
Expired
Feb 21, 2026, 4:00 AM CST
In force
10 hr
Issued by
NWS Chicago, IL

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this small craft advisory went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Chicago, IL wrote its last area forecast discussion before this small craft advisory went out at Feb 20, 1:49 PM CST, 55 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 20, 1:49 PM CST, 55 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 20, 4:20 AM CST, 10 hours 24 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Chicago/Romeoville IL
420 AM CST Fri Feb 20 2026

ILZ003>006-008-010>013-019>021-023-032-033-039-103>108-INZ001-002-
010-011-019-211030-
Winnebago-Boone-McHenry-Lake IL-Ogle-Lee-De Kalb-Kane-DuPage-
La Salle-Kendall-Grundy-Kankakee-Livingston-Iroquois-Ford-
Northern Cook-Central Cook-Southern Cook-Northern Will-
Southern Will-Eastern Will-Lake IN-Porter-Newton-Jasper-Benton-
420 AM CST Fri Feb 20 2026 /520 AM EST Fri Feb 20 2026/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central
Illinois...northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

  Elevated Non Thunderstorm Wind Risk.

DISCUSSION...

Strong westerly winds of 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 45 mph are
expected, especially this morning and early this afternoon.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Sunday and Monday...
  Limited Snow Risk, mainly for northwest Indiana.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

  Spotter activation will not be necessary through tonight.

LMZ740>745-211030-
Winthrop Harbor to Wilmette Harbor IL-
Wilmette Harbor to Northerly Island IL-
Northerly Island to Calumet Harbor IL-
Calumet Harbor IL to Gary IN-Gary to Burns Harbor IN-
Burns Harbor to Michigan City IN-
420 AM CST Fri Feb 20 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of the Illinois
nearshore waters of Lake Michigan and the Indiana nearshore
waters of Lake Michigan.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Weather hazards expected...

  Gale force winds and very hazardous waves.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday.

Saturday through Thursday...
  Hazardous conditions for small craft are likely.

Ratzer

Visit us at www.weather.gov/chicago

The office that day

Everything else NWS Chicago, IL issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 20, 1:18 AM CSTMarine Dense Fog AdvisoryLOT3 hr

Nearby

Small Craft Advisories in Illinois, 2026Every small craft advisory in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text.