Tornadoes tear through homes and topple power lines in areas outside Chicago
More than a dozen tornadoes hit Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin overnight, causing damage, outages and flight disruptions across the Midwest.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
A severe storm system spawned multiple tornadoes across the Midwest, with especially heavy damage reported in Streator, Illinois, and Merrillville, Indiana. The storms also disrupted travel, knocked out power for hundreds of thousands and prompted warnings for more severe weather.
A big storm made spinning winds called tornadoes hit towns like a giant, angry vacuum cleaner. They broke houses, knocked down power poles, and caused planes and roads to get delayed, like a huge mess across the neighborhood.
Analysis
Damage across the Midwest
More than a dozen tornadoes moved through parts of Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin overnight, leaving homes damaged, trees uprooted and power lines down. In Streator, Illinois, about 100 miles southwest of Chicago, state police reported heavy damage after a tornado touched down. A resident described hearing a sound like a train before a front window was blown out, and local video showed rescuers pulling an injured man from the wreckage of a destroyed home.
In the nearby village of Dwight, drone footage showed a violent tornado path with homes partially or fully destroyed. In Merrillville, Indiana, officials warned people to take cover as a funnel cloud approached. By Thursday evening, streets were blocked by downed trees and power lines, parts of homes were torn up, a high school roof was damaged and flooding worsened the disruption.
Wider disruptions
The storm system also affected Chicago’s Midway Airport, where air traffic controllers evacuated the tower after a tornado warning. Torrential rain hit aircraft on the tarmac, and travelers were told to stay away from windows. The severe weather also led to thousands of delayed or canceled flights at airports in cities including Chicago, Philadelphia and New York.
Power outages were widespread. NBC News reported that more than half a million customers across seven states were without power by midnight, and Commonwealth Edison said storms had knocked down poles and wires. The utility said it expected 80% restoration by late Saturday.
The National Weather Service warned that more severe weather could continue into the weekend, and NOAA said more than 120 tornadoes had already been recorded this spring. The hardest-hit states so far have been Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois.
Key points
- More than a dozen tornadoes hit towns in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin overnight.
- Streator, Illinois, reported heavy damage, and one injured man was pulled from rubble.
- Merrillville, Indiana, saw downed trees, flooded roads, damaged homes and roof damage at a high school.
- Midway Airport evacuated its tower during a tornado warning, and flights were delayed or canceled in several cities.
- More than half a million customers across seven states lost power as of midnight.
Emergency crews, utilities and local officials can use the warnings and damage reports to respond quickly and restore service. Commonwealth Edison said it expected most power to be back by late Saturday, which suggests repairs were already moving forward. Weather alerts may also help people in the region stay safer if more storms form.
More severe weather could keep hitting the region over the weekend, which would raise the risk of additional damage, outages and injuries. The article also shows how storms can disrupt airports, roads and schools all at once, making recovery harder for local communities.
