Midwest, Great Lakes brace for more severe storms after night of tornadoes

Communities across the Midwest are starting the cleanup process after multiple tornadoes touched down and severe weather struck areas from the Great Lakes to Texas. 

Another round of severe thunderstorms was forecast across parts of the Southern Plains, Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes on Saturday afternoon and into the night, according to the National Weather Service. Twenty-eight million people were under the threat of severe weather Saturday. 

The largest threats were from damaging winds. Storms could also cause isolated hail and flash flooding, and tornadoes were possible. The storms will reach the East Coast overnight Saturday into Sunday. 

Over 70,000 customers in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions had been without power Saturday morning, according to the tracking site poweroutage.us, but electricity had been restored in most areas by Saturday evening. 

At least one tornado touched down in Rochester, Minnesota, about 90 miles south of Minneapolis, on Friday. David Vetsch said the storm sounded “like a freight train.” The main part of the tornado hit his 89-year-old father’s house, Vetsch said. While the house took extensive damage, his father was unharmed. 

Blake Wight said Rochester residents are working together to clear the damage. 

“I don’t even know who a lot of these people are that are out helping,” Wight said. “Our neighborhood is pretty good about watching out for each other.” 

In Lena, Illinois, another tornado knocked out power and caused extensive damage on Friday afternoon. Downed trees and wires made the village impossible to enter, according to the Stephenson County Sheriff’s Office. Photos from Lena show massive trees toppled over and blocking roads. A Lena resident identified as Marcia said she heard a tree fall in her front yard. 

“The electricity went out, and I took the dog and went down in the basement in the shower, and I heard a big old crash,” she said. She said she first thought the noise was the sound of her roof collapsing. 

According to radio traffic from public safety officials in Stephenson County, there were reports of “fairly extensive damage” at the village’s elementary and high schools. Both facilities had students inside of them at the time of the tornado. No injuries were reported. 

Lena faced more storms throughout the night Friday. Stevenson County Sheriff Steve Stovall said the weather “did not result in loss of life or serious injury.” Lena is about 120 miles from Chicago. 

A tornado in suburban Kansas City destroyed homes and knocked out power, but again did not cause any deaths or serious injuries. 

Damage was reported throughout Oklahoma, according to the state’s Department of Emergency Management. In Ponca City and Kay County, trees were downed, the department said. Trees and powerlines were also knocked down in Osage County’s McCord area. Some homes in the region also had their roofs damaged, the department said, and a marina was damaged at Kaw Lake.