During the afternoon and evening of April 17th, severe storms tore across portions of the Midwest, containing damaging winds, hail, and even a few tornadoes.

By Adrianne Burke, Director of Content Marketing | AccuWeather For Business

Published May 8, 2024 10:43 AM EDT | Updated Aug 30, 2024 12:54 PM EDT

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A downed tree and branches block a street in an Ohio town after a heavy storm during the night.

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On April 17, 2024, rounds of severe storms erupted across the Midwest bringing winds, hail, and tornadoes. AccuWeather For Business customers warned companies earlier and more accurately than any known source of these risks allowing them to enact their emergency plans and be better prepared.

As early as April 13th, AccuWeather meteorologists began highlighting the threat of severe storms across the Midwest, including impact-based statements such as "thunderstorms could bring damaging winds, flash flooding and hail" in the forecast. These statements were later updated to include the risk of tornadoes in the forecast.

While AccuWeather was already raising awareness for the risk of severe storms, forecasts from another source only mentioned "thunderstorms may contain strong gusty winds" and did not include any other impacts in their statements.

Learn more about how AccuWeather's SkyGuard Warning Service can help you better prepare for severe weather and other weather hazards.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast only included "showers and possibly a thunderstorm" with no mention of any impacts. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) also did not include a risk for severe storms as early as AccuWeather did, stating "potential too low" on their outlook.

As AccuWeather correctly predicted before other sources, a swath of severe storms erupted across the Midwest, bringing damaging winds, hail, and even a few tornadoes to the region. This resulted in damage, significant in some spots, across a stretch from southern Michigan to southwestern PA and northwestern WV.

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Contact us today to learn more about how AccuWeather's SkyGuard Warning Service can help you better prepare for severe weather and other weather hazards.

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