Election 2016: Severe storms may threaten voters in Missouri, Illinois on Tuesday

By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

March 12,2016; 6:48PM,EST

 

 

As the presidential race continues, the next round of primary elections will take place on Tuesday, March 15.
Voters in Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio will take to the polls with warm conditions. However, storms may disrupt voting activities in portions of Missouri and Illinois.
"The main threat from the strongest thunderstorms in northeastern Missouri and northern Illinois will be damaging winds," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said. "Hail can also be produced and it is not out of the question for there to be an isolated tornado."
Sporadic power outages and downed trees can result, potentially impacting polling stations and those driving to cast their vote.
Voters are urged to monitor AccuWeather MinuteCast® and wait to head to polling stations until after any violent storms have passed.
Warm air surging into the Midwest will set the stage for the thunderstorms. Temperatures will rise 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit above average in Missouri, Illinois and Ohio on Tuesday. The day will likely be the warmest of the week with western Missouri being the exception.

Ohioans take to the polls en masse when conditions are "comfortable and dry," AccuWeather Business Intelligence Manager and Meteorologist Tim Loftus said.
Ohio voters are mostly deterred when rain persists throughout the day, Loftus said.
The threat for severe thunderstorms in Ohio should hold off until after most polls have closed.
Voters in Illinois are not strongly impacted by the expected adverse weather, Loftus said. "Voters tend to have a higher turnout when conditions are relatively cooler, especially in the northeast region of the state."
High temperatures on Tuesday around Chicago are likely to be in the lower to middle 60s.
RELATED:
POLL: Does a candidate's stance on climate change influence your vote?
World's biggest offshore wind farm to be constructed off the coast of England
Unexpected noise discovered at deepest part of world's ocean
"Voters in Missouri tend to have an increase in turnout when conditions are dry unless it is cold and windy," Loftus said.
In the wake of the storms, gusty winds will develop across Missouri and Illinois on Tuesday. In the wake of the storms, gusty winds will develop across Missouri and Illinois on Tuesday. The winds will create lower AccuWeather RealFeel® temperatures, but the winds will not be ushering in frigid air.
Temperatures will climb into 80s in Florida, roughly 5-10 degrees above average. Dry conditions will make for easy travel to polling places in both Florida and North Carolina.
According to Loftus, high temperatures and sunny skies boost voter turnout across the Sunshine State.

"Warm and sunny conditions favor a high turnout especially for young Floridian voters (ages 18 to 24)," he said.
Though Tuesday will bring above-average warmth, conditions won't hinder voting in North Carolina. Loftus said when temperatures reach past the 85-degree mark, voters are more likely to stay home. Humidity also deters voters.
Parts of southeastern North Carolina will rise into the lower 80s on Tuesday, but are not expected to exceed 85 F.