Severe storms to unleash tornado threat in Midwest
By
Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather senior editor
Updated Aug 11, 2021 11:15 PM EST
This footage, captured by Ashley Kempton, shows a tornado touching down across Highway 47 in Black Creek on Tuesday evening as she looks on in awe.
Hundreds of thousands were left without power on Wednesday severe storms tracked through the Midwest on Tuesday. Then, more dangerous storms targeted some of the same areas on Wednesday and Wednesday night.
Over 350 damaging winds reports were sent to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) on Tuesday, and one tornado was reported in northeastern Wisconsin. Downed trees were reported in parts of Illinois as the strong storms swept through the state. On Monday, nearly two dozen tornado reports were listed on the SPC's website, mostly from northeastern Illinois.
Not to be outmatched, another 300 damaging wind reports were listed on Wednesday throughout the eastern portion of the country.
An EF1 tornado touched down near Norwalk, Wisconson, early Wednesday afternoon and caused property damage, according to the NWS, but no injuries have been reported. Several other tornadoes occurred across Wisconsin on Wednesday evening.
According to PowerOutage.US, around 1 million electric customers were listed without power across the Midwest and East Coast as of Wednesday afternoon, including over 650,000 in Michigan alone.
"All facets of severe weather are possible with thunderstorms that will stretch from Missouri to Michigan into Wednesday night," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. "Impacts will range from damaging wind gusts and flash flooding to hail and isolated tornadoes."
The intensity of some of the storms can rival that of recent days, according to Sosnowski. Some of the strongest storms, and hence the greatest risk of isolated tornadoes, are likely to be in eastern Wisconsin and the western and northern portions of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan during Wednesday evening, he explained.
Wind gusts could reach an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 80 mph in some locations, forecasters say.
There is an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms into Wednesday night across portions of Michigan, northern Illinois and Wisconsin, according to the SPC. An enhanced risk of severe weather is the third-highest threat level issued by the SPC.
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There is a population of nearly 17 million that lives in the enhanced risk area. Cities under this threat include Chicago; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin; and Grand Rapids, Michigan.
A broader population area is covered under a slight risk for severe weather, which is the SPC's second-highest risk level. Cities facing a slight risk on Wednesday include Detroit; Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; and Pittsburgh. Nearly 24 million reside in the slight risk area.
This map shows the threat level for severe weather on Aug. 11, 2021, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center. (AccuWeather via SPC).
The Midwest has been under a persistent threat of severe weather for nearly a full week, but conditions are expected to settle down a bit across the central United States in the coming days.
Later in the week, AccuWeather forecasters say a cold front will dig across the country and usher in cooler and more comfortable conditions from the Midwest to the Northeast.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert contributed to this story.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Severe Weather
Severe storms to unleash tornado threat in Midwest
By Kevin Byrne, AccuWeather senior editor
Updated Aug 11, 2021 11:15 PM EST
This footage, captured by Ashley Kempton, shows a tornado touching down across Highway 47 in Black Creek on Tuesday evening as she looks on in awe.
Hundreds of thousands were left without power on Wednesday severe storms tracked through the Midwest on Tuesday. Then, more dangerous storms targeted some of the same areas on Wednesday and Wednesday night.
Over 350 damaging winds reports were sent to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) on Tuesday, and one tornado was reported in northeastern Wisconsin. Downed trees were reported in parts of Illinois as the strong storms swept through the state. On Monday, nearly two dozen tornado reports were listed on the SPC's website, mostly from northeastern Illinois.
Not to be outmatched, another 300 damaging wind reports were listed on Wednesday throughout the eastern portion of the country.
An EF1 tornado touched down near Norwalk, Wisconson, early Wednesday afternoon and caused property damage, according to the NWS, but no injuries have been reported. Several other tornadoes occurred across Wisconsin on Wednesday evening.
According to PowerOutage.US, around 1 million electric customers were listed without power across the Midwest and East Coast as of Wednesday afternoon, including over 650,000 in Michigan alone.
"All facets of severe weather are possible with thunderstorms that will stretch from Missouri to Michigan into Wednesday night," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. "Impacts will range from damaging wind gusts and flash flooding to hail and isolated tornadoes."
The intensity of some of the storms can rival that of recent days, according to Sosnowski. Some of the strongest storms, and hence the greatest risk of isolated tornadoes, are likely to be in eastern Wisconsin and the western and northern portions of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan during Wednesday evening, he explained.
Wind gusts could reach an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 80 mph in some locations, forecasters say.
There is an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms into Wednesday night across portions of Michigan, northern Illinois and Wisconsin, according to the SPC. An enhanced risk of severe weather is the third-highest threat level issued by the SPC.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
There is a population of nearly 17 million that lives in the enhanced risk area. Cities under this threat include Chicago; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin; and Grand Rapids, Michigan.
A broader population area is covered under a slight risk for severe weather, which is the SPC's second-highest risk level. Cities facing a slight risk on Wednesday include Detroit; Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; and Pittsburgh. Nearly 24 million reside in the slight risk area.
This map shows the threat level for severe weather on Aug. 11, 2021, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center. (AccuWeather via SPC).
The Midwest has been under a persistent threat of severe weather for nearly a full week, but conditions are expected to settle down a bit across the central United States in the coming days.
Later in the week, AccuWeather forecasters say a cold front will dig across the country and usher in cooler and more comfortable conditions from the Midwest to the Northeast.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Mary Gilbert contributed to this story.
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