Midwest derecho cuts power to 270,000, halts flights

Powerful storms swept across the Midwest on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, causing widespread damage, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands, and severely disrupting air travel in Chicago. The severe weather, which included destructive wind gusts, heavy rain, and tornadoes, impacted several states and prompted extensive emergency response efforts.

The National Weather Service had issued tornado warnings for parts of Illinois, Kansas, northern Missouri, and southern Iowa, with severe thunderstorm watches covering an even broader area. According to the reports, a derecho—a widespread, long-lived windstorm—stretched over 350 miles, beginning in Iowa and moving through Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. Wind gusts were reported as high as 90 to 94 miles per hour in some locations, causing significant damage. A damaging tornado was also confirmed to have struck parts of Missouri.

The storms left a trail of destruction, downing countless trees and power lines across the region. In Illinois, authorities reported numerous road hazards due to debris, with crews working to clear streets in cities like Joliet and Seneca. Part of an apartment building's roof was blown off in the...