Severe weather storm: which areas have been affected by tornados?
A powerful cold front barreled through the Midwest on Tuesday bringing severe thunderstorms that produced large hail and likely several tornados.
Millions of Americans are experiencing weather whiplash this week as large swaths went from record heat to freezing cold. In all, 132 all-time daily record temperatures for February were set at the start of the week. However, a powerful cold front tore across the Plains and Midwest pushing into the Ohio River Valley on Tuesday and into Wednesday bringing with it severe thunderstorms spawning at least eight tornados in four states.
The intense weather pattern also produced strong winds that damaged buildings and knocked over trees as well there were numerous reports of large hail. In the wake of the low pressure system summer-like temperatures gave way to freezing winter cold and snow.
Severe weather storm: which areas have been affected by tornados?
Tornado sirens wailed across northern Illinois on Tuesday. The Chicago area was likely struck by five tornados and potentially five more west of the city. National Weather Service survey teams will be examining damage on Wednesday to determine the final tally. Two tornados were also reported in Michigan and one in Ohio.
Large hail, the size of golf balls in some cases, was reported from the Chicago area west along I-80 and I-88 corridors according to the National Weather Service in the Windy City.
The storm front is pushing east on Wednesday with tornado watches posted for parts of central and eastern Kentucky northward into southeast Ohio in the morning. Millions of Americans from eastern Tennessee up to the US-Canada border in Vermont could experience severe weather on Wednesday.