• Heavy lake-effect snow creates whiteout conditions, disrupts travel south of Chicago

    Powerful bands of lake-effect snow brought traffic on parts of Interstate 57 (I-57) south of Chicago, Illinois, to a standstill amid whiteout conditions on the morning of November 10, 2025. The National Weather Service (NWS) warned drivers to use extreme caution as snowfall rates exceeded 7 cm/h (3 in/h) in localized bands, producing near-zero visibility and hazardous travel across portions of northeastern Illinois.

  • Early-season lake-effect snow blankets Chicago and Great Lakes states

    The season’s first measurable snow reached Chicago early Monday, November 10, 2025, as Arctic air swept across the Great Lakes, producing intense lake-effect snow bands over Lakes Michigan, Erie, and Ontario. Travel warnings were issued from Illinois to western New York, with authorities urging drivers to avoid non-essential travel.

  • Powerful derecho blasts through Midwest, leaving a trail of destruction

    A powerful and deadly derecho swept across the Midwest on July 15, 2024, leaving an 800-km (500-mile) path of destruction from Iowa to Indiana. The storm, with wind gusts reaching up to 169 km/h (105 mph), caused extensive damage, power outages affecting hundreds of thousands, and at least one fatality. The National Weather Service issued numerous Tornado Warnings as the storm downed trees, tore roofs off buildings, and disrupted travel across the region.