The Midwest was rocked by a line of severe storms that left at least one person dead and caused widespread damage and outages. Nearly 300 storm reports were filed, including three tornado reports and a tornado east of St. Louis that devastated a neighborhood. About 26 million people were under storm warnings and roughly 12 million under tornado warnings as the system moved eastward; nearly 250,000 customers were without power Tuesday morning.
At Least One Dead as Violent Storms Rip Through Midwest; Millions Under Warnings
A lineman repairs a damaged power pole after severe weather in Springtown, Texas, on Sunday. (Elías Valverde II / The Dallas Morning News via AP)(Elías Valverde II)
At least one person has died after a line of severe storms swept across the Midwest, leaving widespread damage, power outages and millions of people under weather warnings on Tuesday.
Fatality in Michigan
On Monday evening in Kent County, Michigan, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office reported that a 39-year-old man from Solon Township was killed when a tree fell on him during a fast-moving thunderstorm. Responders found the man at the scene; he was pronounced dead there. Witnesses told investigators the victim warned friends to move moments before the tree fell, likely preventing additional injuries. The sheriff’s office said its investigation is ongoing.
Widespread Damage and Storm Reports
Monday brought severe thunderstorms, large hail and intense lightning visible from space across broad parts of the Midwest. Nearly 300 storm reports were filed Monday, led by damaging wind reports, numerous hail accounts and three reported tornadoes. One tornado east of St. Louis was reported overnight and left a neighborhood devastated, with homes reduced to rubble and many downed trees.
Power Outages, Wind and Hail
As of Tuesday morning, nearly 250,000 customers were without power across the Midwest, according to poweroutage.us. In Missouri, power lines were snapped and toppled; wind gusts in Wisconsin topped 70 mph, and heavy rain with frequent lightning felled trees in Tennessee. Forecasters also highlighted a threat of large hail and gusty winds near the Oklahoma–Texas border.
Travel Disruptions and Ongoing Warnings
Some of the nation’s busiest airports— including Chicago O’Hare and Dallas–Fort Worth—imposed temporary ground stops Monday, disrupting travel for many passengers. Millions of people remained under severe-weather alerts Tuesday: about 26 million were under storm warnings, including more than 800,000 assessed at moderate risk in Kentucky, Missouri and Illinois, and roughly 12 million were under tornado warnings in parts of Tennessee, Missouri, Louisiana, Indiana and Arkansas, according to the National Weather Service.
What’s Next
The storm system is moving eastward toward the mid-Atlantic and parts of the Southeast, including Washington, D.C., and Knoxville, Tennessee, with active severe thunderstorm warnings across portions of Oklahoma and Texas as the system progresses. Authorities urged residents in affected areas to follow local emergency guidance, stay indoors during warnings, and report any damage or hazards to local officials.
Note: The situation remains fluid; officials continue to update warnings and assess damage.
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