Tornado Outbreak Slams Multiple States as Spring Storms Intensify: Across the central and eastern US last week, a strong wave of wild weather triggered more than a dozen suspected tornadoes and left many people dealing with high winds, damaged structures, and power outages. Early on Thursday, storms developed in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indian, and Michigan,which led to over 150 million Americans being told to stay watchful for tornadoes and thunderstorms.
Last week’s big storms brought high winds of 80 mph, felled trees, damaged buildings, and interrupted some community services. According to the NWS and NOAA, these powerful supercells increase the risk of seeing “powerful, long-range tornadoes.”
Widespread Damage and Power Outages
According to Power Outage.us, the bad weather on Thursday evening knocked out power for 261,000 people in Michigan. Cases in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois were very severe at the time. The lines of communication are broken, and work is being done to assess the damage. There was at least one hospital admission in Dodge County, Wisconsin, following the tornadoes, and countless others were left homeless.
Social media pictures and videos showed the broad effect on areas across the country: Homes were damaged, rubble covered the streets, and cars were damaged when trees fell. As emergency teams handled damage caused by the storm, officials closed some roads in Michigan City, Indiana. During a Beyoncé concert at Soldier Field, the fans experienced chaos because of heavy rain that caused them to dive for safety.
Some schools in Indiana and Kentucky were shut down when their buildings lost electricity, and predictions of extreme weather kept coming in. Government officials advised residents to remain at home and prepare for more storms on those days.
Tornado Reports Already at Record High for 2025
Meteorologists have raised concerns as this tornado season is off to a stronger start than any season in the past 10 years. After only fourteen days in May 2025, more than 750 tornado reports were received, surpassing every year since 2011. Based on BCNews, Bernie Rayno of AccuWeather described this spring as particularly hazardous, as tornadoes have been occurring far more frequently than usual since March.
Despite being possible any time of year, tornadoes generally reach their highest number from March until June. During this year, outbreaks have occurred far more frequently and now threaten both the Midwest and Southern parts of the country. Mississippi and the larger southeastern U.S. were devastated earlier this spring by deadly tornadoes that ripped through homes and forced residents to seek safety in their cars.
What’s Fueling These Dangerous Storms?
Experts are attributing the increasing frequency of storms to changes in the climate. The warmer the planet gets, the easier it becomes for thunderstorms to form strong ingredients for themselves: moisture, heat, and wind shear. The result is an increase in storms that can form very large hail, produce strong winds, and cause destruction from tornadoes.
NOAA reported that Friday’s conditions could bring both tornadoes and hail as large as baseballs, plus powerful winds. There were severe thunderstorm watches issued from Arkansas to Kentucky. According to the agency, central and eastern Kansas and northern Oklahoma are places with a higher-than-average risk of severe weather.
A Need for Vigilance and Preparedness
Although there have been no known deaths during this latest outbreak, officials warn it could quickly get worse. Emergency teams in the Midwest and Southeast are ready, and meteorologists are watching for more thunderstorms.
The residents’ main priority should be to be well prepared. They advise you to make a plan for storm emergencies, find safe places close by, make certain your mobile devices are charged, and pay attention to weather notices from the radio or television.
With each passing severe weather month, it’s becoming obvious tornadoes and major storms are happening more widely than just in a few spots. They represent a serious and increasing concern for the nation, and they call for both focus and effort to fix them.
