Damage reported after Tornado Warnings wail across Ohio Valley amid ongoing severe weather threat
The combination of springlike ingredients across the Midwest triggered thunderstorms from Tuesday into early Wednesday, with millions being put under severe weather alerts.
Over a million people across central Ohio, including Columbus, were awakened Wednesday morning by blaring weather alarms and urgent instructions to seek shelter as a line of severe thunderstorms triggered numerous Tornado Warnings.
So far, there are no reports of any injuries, though a spotter near Springfield, Ohio, reported a likely tornado strike with moderate damage, including damage to multiple homes, southeast of town.
(FOX Weather)
In the Dayton area, a possible tornado blew out glass at the Airway Shopping Center, with likely tornado-caused tree damage nearby, according to National Weather Service storm reports. Strong thunderstorms knocked a large tree into a home near Huber Heights.
Thunderstorms brought gusts to 60 mph near Springfield and 69 mph in London, Ohio. US Highway 40 was closed north of London due to debris in the roadway and downed power lines, local officials reported.
Tornado Warnings wailed in Columbus before dawn Wednesday as the line of thunderstorms moved through. Columbus’ John Glenn Airport urged travelers in the terminal to seek shelter while the warning was in effect.
The threat had passed for Columbus as of 6 a.m. EST, but the dangerous line of thunderstorms along a potent cold front was still pushing east through Ohio and Kentucky.
So far, Kentucky has been dealing with more of a damaging wind and large hail threat from severe thunderstorms. Gusts have reached 50-60 mph around and north of Lexington and Frankfort with radar-indicated hail exceeding 1 inch in diameter.
Tornado Watches remain in effect for much of southern and central Ohio, far western West Virginia and nearly the entire state of Kentucky through mid-Wednesday morning.
(FOX Weather)
A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for rotating storms in and close to the watch area. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center warned that in addition to tornadoes, large hail and wind gusts to 70 mph were possible.
Dozens of Tornado, Severe Thunderstorm Warnings issued so far
A combination of spring-like ingredients across the Midwest with warm, moist unstable air colliding with a encroaching cold front triggered the initial round of thunderstorms Tuesday, with millions being put under severe weather alerts.
The first Tornado Warning of the event was issued for Henry County, Illinois, which is located along I-80 between the Quad Cities and Chicago. Rotation in the supercell was radar indicated, and sizable hail was also reported.
Storm spotters witnessed a twister on the ground near the town of Atkinson, Illinois, but there were no initial reports of widespread damage in the community.
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Tornado-warned storms rumble through Northern Illinois
A series of tornado-warned storms rolled through Northern Illinois on Tuesday evening. The storms triggered some communities to sound warning sirens
Photos from about 6 miles away in the town of Annawan, Illinois, showed a much different story.
The National Weather Service received reports of damage to farms and planned to dispatch a team to investigate how strong the possible tornado was.
Tornado Warnings were also issued north of the Windy City and included Cook, DuPage and Lake Counties. Some communities in the warned area sounded tornado sirens late Tuesday evening. One of those communities was Arlington Heights, outside of Chicago.
Despite a flurry of Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm warnings issued around the metro, most emergency managers reported their communities escaped the storms relatively unscathed.
A large tree was reported downed in the Hoffman Estates area, and power outages reached a peak of around 10,000 on Tuesday evening.
Wind damage in Hoffman Estates, IL
(@NathanHansen_Wx / FOX Weather)
Out of abundance of caution, a ground stop was issued at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport.
As is common during threats of severe weather, the control tower at O'Hare was briefly evacuated as workers and travelers were urged to seek shelter during the storm.
Air traffic was able to resume after the storm pushed eastward out over Lake Michigan, but hundreds of flights were delayed or canceled into the major airports.
Chicago O'Hare storm impacts
(Michael O’Neil / FOX Weather)
So far, more than 25 Tornado Warnings and 50 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings have been issued through the event.
Rain threat pushes east to include areas from Tennessee Valley to New England
(FOX Weather)
The severe weather threat will continue into Wednesday and has expanded in coverage to include areas from the Tennessee Valley to New England.
More than 13 million people are now included in a Level 1 risk, including cities such as Nashville, Charleston in West Virginia, Pittsburgh and Scranton in Pennsylvania, Binghamton and Albany in New York and Burlington in Vermont.
Outside of the showers and thunderstorms, winds could gust between 30-50 mph which could lead to blowing debris and downed power lines.
Powerful cold front sweeps east on Wednesday
Wind and rain will impact cities along the Eastern Seaboard on Wednesday.
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