Midwest Hit by Rare February Tornado Outbreak and Severe Thunderstorms

Midwest Hit by Rare Tornado Outbreak Severe thunderstorms and a rare outbreak of tornadoes surprised Midwesterners in recent days, wreaking havoc from suburban Chicago to eastern Michigan. The violent weather left a trail of destruction, with power outages, destroyed homes, barns, and fallen trees littering much of the Great Lakes region. Despite the widespread damage, no injuries resulting from the weather have been reported.

Unusual Weather Patterns 

The severe thunderstorms that spawned the rare February tornado outbreak sent sleeping Midwesterners scrambling for safety. The storm, which included tornadoes or suspected tornadoes in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio, caused significant damage across the region. The storm's timing at night was particularly concerning, but fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Impact on Communities 

In Michigan's Grand Blanc Township, winds damaged subdivisions and uprooted gas lines, leading to the evacuation of residents due to gas leaks. A confirmed tornado also caused damage in Calhoun County, near the city of Marshall, while warning sirens alerted residents of central Ohio to a possible tornado near Columbus. Further damage was reported in Columbus, Ohio, where a family sought shelter in their basement as the storm approached. The storms also destroyed a hangar and damaged planes at a small airport in Madison County, between Dayton and Columbus, and caused power outages affecting over 50,000 customers in Ohio and Michigan.

Unusual February Weather 

The storms followed a period of unusual warmth across Illinois and were followed by a sudden return to winter weather, with snow and temperatures in the 20s. Despite the unusual weather, meteorologists noted that winter tornadoes have been recorded almost every year since 2012 in the region covering southwestern and central Ohio.