The National Weather Service says there’s a threat of severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and hail Tuesday afternoon in Evanston

The storms are expected ahead of a cold front that will move through the area during the afternoon an early evening hours.

The weather services says there is a limited risk that we could see tornadoes, up to half-dollar size hail and damaging winds of up to 65 miles per hour.

Already in Evanston this morning windy conditions were the apparent cause of a tree toppling across Dempster Street just west of Wesley Avenue that blocked traffic for a time until city crews could move it out of the roadway.

Bill Smith is the editor and publisher of Evanston Now.