Powerful thunderstorms rip through Midwest, leaving tens of thousands without power, U.S.

A series of strong thunderstorms ripped through parts of the U.S., including eastern Iowa, Kentucky, southern Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, and southern Wisconsin on July 9, 2020. Many trees and power lines were downed, leaving tens of thousands without electricity, with more than 30 000 customers affected in the Chicago area alone.

Up to 30 245 ComEd customers in the Chicago area were without power Thursday evening as thunderstorms downed trees and electricity poles. In suburban Kane County, 13 458 customers were affected, 9 440 in Lake County and 6 900 in Cook County.

The storms rolled through Eastern Iowa, leaving damage across the area. Branches and other debris were scattered across the streets. Several trees collapsed on houses and properties, and blocked roads. The heavy rain resulted in flooding in some parts of the state.

Across Kentucky and Southern Indiana, storms were reportedly "hit and miss" this week.

According to local media WHAS-TV, a "pulse" thunderstorm occurs in the areas, which "typically develop during the summer months here in Kentuckiana but unlike clusters or lines of thunderstorms that move across and impact a larger area, these are typically isolated in nature and their impacts are very localized."

On July 9, the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center (NWS SPC) received numerous reports of damaging wind from both states.

In Nebraska, heavy winds downed trees, limbs, and power grids, disrupting electricity to more than 5 000 LES customers. 

In southern Wisconsin, Alliant Energy and Madison Gas & Electric both reported power outages that affected thousands of people throughout the area. The hardest-hit areas included Delavan, Janesville, Sauk City, and Mazomanie.

Featured image credit: Pixabay