'Ring of Fire' May Bring Floods and Extreme Weather in Illinois

What meteorologists are calling a "ring of fire pattern" is expected to bring some weather extremes to parts of Illinois before the end of this week.

What is a 'Ring of Fire' Pattern?

According to the Weather Channel, the 'ring of fire' pattern is a cluster of thunderstorms "riding around the northern edge of a heat dome of high pressure camped over the Southern Plains."

There's an elevated risk of flooding when there's a ring of fire pattern, and it often can create intense derechos which are "fast-moving windstorms and sometimes thunderstorms that moves across a great distance and is characterized by damaging winds."

What will Illinois Weather Be Like Because of 'Ring of Fire'

According to the Weather Channel, there are a few chances of heavy rain causing flooding this week.

On Wednesday (8/2) the forecast says it's "likely" that there will be flooding in the southwestern edge of Illinois, and at least a marginal chance of storms and flooding for the southwestern half of the state.

The flooding is expected to be late on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning (8/4).

Cooler Temperatures Headed Our Way?

High temperatures are still expected to be in the mid to upper 80s through Friday (8/5), and then there's a chance to rain on Saturday with highs in the mid-80s.

Lower 80s to Upper 70s will be the norm beginning Sunday when the high is supposed to be around 80.

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Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

LOOK: The most extreme temperatures in the history of every state

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Keep reading to find out individual state records in alphabetical order.