Tornado Threat Returns: Midwest Braces for More Storms

Communities across the central U.S. are facing a renewed threat of severe weather, including dangerous tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds, beginning Friday evening and extending into the weekend. Forecasters warn that over 51 million people from Texas to Wisconsin are under this severe weather threat.

This new wave of storms arrives as many areas are still recovering from tornadoes that struck earlier in the week. The Upper Mississippi Valley, encompassing parts of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, has the highest risk for strong tornadoes. Other regions in the central U.S. and Midwest could experience very large hail and winds up to 70 mph.

In western New York, a community south of Buffalo is assessing damage from a recent tornado. Simultaneously, Michigan is experiencing record-breaking flooding, with Governor Gretchen Whitmer declaring a state of emergency for 33 counties due to critically high water levels in rivers and near dams. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, also faced significant road flooding following heavy rains, with a lightning strike tragically resulting in one fatality in the state.