Severe storms ravaged parts of Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana on Monday, causing significant damage and widespread power outages. In one particularly alarming incident, a tornado reportedly touched down near Chicago’s O’Hare airport, marking the most severe of several tornadoes that swept across the region.
The storms brought with them destructive winds, toppling trees and power lines, and leaving over 460,000 customers without electricity. Tragically, a 44-year-old woman in Cedar Lake, Indiana, lost her life when a tree fell onto her home, according to local authorities.
Roger Edwards, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Storm Prediction Center, emphasized that while tornadoes were reported, the primary concern across Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana was the damaging winds.
Severe storms batter the Midwest, leaving destruction, power outages, and one fatality in Indiana.Wind gusts reached as high as 101 mph (162 km/h) in Ogle County, Illinois, with numerous gusts recorded in the 75 to 90 mph (120 to 145 km/h) range.
In Iowa, the NWS confirmed a tornado struck Des Moines, where police responded to reports of snapped utility poles.
As the storms moved eastward into Illinois, the Chicago area faced multiple tornado warnings, intense winds, and heavy rainfall.
Passengers at O’Hare airport described their planes being rocked by powerful winds as they awaited takeoff, with 81 flights canceled as of Tuesday morning. Midway airport reported eight cancellations.
The NWS in Chicago temporarily took cover during the height of the storm, later confirming extensive damage across the city. Wind speeds in the area reached up to 75 mph (120 km/h). A flash flood warning was issued but no major flooding damage was reported.
In northern Illinois alone, nearly 390,000 customers were left without power. The Joliet Police Department reported numerous downed power lines and blocked roadways due to fallen trees and branches, causing significant disruptions in the city about 35 miles southwest of Chicago.