A massive line of storms packing hail, lightning and tree-toppling winds rolled through the Midwest Wednesday night, bring threatening weather from Iowa to Maryland.
All told, the area that National Weather Service said was at risk of dangerous weather encompassed 74.7 million people in 19 states — about one in every five Americans.
Multiple tornado touchdown were reported in northern Iowa, causing damage to homes and businesses and leaving more than 1,200 customers in northern Iowa without power.
In the small town of Belmond, about 90 miles north of Des Moines, a tornado swept through the parking lot of a restaurant and demolished part of the building, which was empty at the time.
In Illinois, emergency officials in Winnebago County reported several small tornadoes that touched down, although no damage was immediately reported.
In addition to tornadoes, lightning and hail, meteorologists warned about the possibility of a destructive weather phenomenon called a derecho, a line of powerful straight-line winds spanning at least 240 miles.
Last year, a derecho caused at least $1 billion in damage from Chicago to Washington, killing 13 people and leaving more than 4 million people without power. Winds reached nearly 100 mph in some places and in addition to the 13 people who died from downed trees, an additional 34 people died from the heat wave that followed in areas without power.
Wednesday’s storm was unlikely to be as powerful as 2012’s, but it was expected to cause widespread problems, said Bill Bunting, operations chief at the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.
For the first time this year, the weather center issued its highest alert level for parts of Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. In Chicago, Wednesday night’s White Sox game against the Toronto Blue Jays was postponed and airlines canceled more than 120 flights at O’Hare International Airport.
Northwestern University canceled classes and finals scheduled for Wednesday night on its Chicago and Evanston campuses, and a symphony concert in downtown Chicago ‘s Millennium Park was also canceled. The Metra commuter rail service announced on its website that it had halted all inbound and outbound trains because of the storm.
The weather service website reported golf ball sized hail damaged cars in Winamac, Ind., midway between Lafayette and South Bend, and The Northern Indiana Public Service Co, said several hundred customers were without power.
For Washington, Philadelphia and parts of the Mid-Atlantic, the storm risk could continue today, the weather service said.
In Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh officials anticipated the coming storm, increasing public safety and public works personnel, and repositioned equipment to prepare for flooding or downed trees and wires. Two National Guard helicopters were ensured to be ready if needed for water rescues.
National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Fitzgerald in State College said the entire state was under a flood watch for high waters overnight and through the day today. He said the front was powerful for mid-June, and added the greatest risk of flooding was in the northern part of the state, while the worst thunderstorms are expected in southern areas of Pennsylvania.
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