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Midwest Derecho Threatens 130 Million, Kansas City Tornado Hits

6/14/2026

Summary

Derecho Threatens

A weather system threatens up to 130 million people in the United States with winds, hail, tornadoes and flash flooding.
The Storm Prediction Center issued a Level 3 of 5 risk for the central United States Saturday.
Wind gusts of 70-80 mph and a tornado hit Kansas City.
Over 74 million face flash-flood danger with a Level 3 of 4 rainfall outlook, rainfall of 1-2 inches per hour, and over 400 thousand power outages after a Midwest derecho.

Summary

Mayor Johnson Alerts

Mayor Brandon Johnson reported that on June 12, 2026, Chicago had 10 flooded viaducts and 101 basements underwater.
He said 673 traffic signals were down, major events—including a Jimmy Eat World concert and a White Sox game—were postponed, and Pittsburgh International Airport lost power for 90 minutes after an energy surge.
Officials urged residents to program weather radios, locate indoor safe spaces, and pack disaster-prep kits with flashlights, batteries and first-aid supplies.

Summary

Commonwealth Edison Restores

Commonwealth Edison aims to restore 80% of power by Saturday after 1,000 flights were delayed or canceled at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway and JFK imposed a ground stop.
Philadelphia opened cooling centers and sent teams to aid homeless residents after an emergency, while Springfield’s animal shelter lost its roofs but 150 cats and 28 dogs survived.
Streator set up a center at hall and a Red Cross shelter for tornado-displaced families.

History

Historical Context

The May 3-4 1999 Great Plains tornado outbreak, driven by a vigorous upper-level trough, spawned 71 tornadoes on May 3 alone and a further 25 the next day, including 14 strong or violent twisters in Oklahoma, prompting federal disaster aid. The June 12 2026 Midwest derecho, with 78-mph winds and widespread outages, echoes that historic severe-weather pattern, highlighting ongoing grid-resilience challenges.

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Derecho Threatens

A weather system threatens up to 130 million people in the United States with winds, hail, tornadoes and flash flooding.
The Storm Prediction Center issued a Level 3 of 5 risk for the central United States Saturday.
Wind gusts of 70-80 mph and a tornado hit Kansas City.
Over 74 million face flash-flood danger with a Level 3 of 4 rainfall outlook, rainfall of 1-2 inches per hour, and over 400 thousand power outages after a Midwest derecho.

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