Severe storms swept through parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, northern Indiana, and Michigan late Thursday night, bringing heavy thunder, lightning, and strong winds. The storms caused significant damage, knocking down trees and leaving thousands without power.
The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings and watches for the affected areas. Reports confirmed that two tornadoes touched down in central Wisconsin, but fortunately, no injuries have been reported so far. Meteorologist Steven Freitag mentioned that surveys were underway in Michigan to check for any tornado activity in that region.
The storms were fueled by warm temperatures in the lower 80s, which were pushed through by a cold front. In Battle Creek, Michigan, wind gusts reached 76 mph, while Grand Haven recorded gusts of 68 mph. As the storms moved eastward, their intensity began to wane.
Power outages were widespread, with Indiana Michigan Power reporting over 31,000 homes and businesses without electricity. This number included about 90% of their customers in southwestern Michigan. Initially, around 35,000 customers lost power due to the storms, with damage including downed trees and broken utility poles.
In Michigan, about 216,000 Consumers Energy customers also experienced outages. In Illinois, ComEd crews worked to restore power to around 73,000 of the more than 155,000 customers who lost service during the storms. Areas like Chicago, Joliet, and Crestwood were among the hardest hit.
The severe weather even delayed a Beyoncé concert at Soldier Field in Chicago by two hours due to safety concerns. As the main cold front continued moving east, the National Weather Service warned that more severe thunderstorms could develop in parts of Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, southern Illinois, and southern Indiana. These storms could bring dangerous winds, tornadoes, and large hail.
Forecasters indicated that intense supercells were likely, with several strong tornadoes possible. The situation remains serious, and residents in the affected areas are urged to stay alert and prepared for further severe weather.