Story perspectives

Midwest Derecho Causes Tornado Warnings, Outages, Floods

8/12/2026

Summary

Story summary

The U.S. Storm Prediction Center labeled Midwest storm cluster a derecho—requiring 60 mi width, three-hour duration, 58 mph+ wind reports and five 75 mph gusts spaced 50 mi apart—and reviewing Cincinnati’s inclusion.
700,000 were under a tornado warning in Cincinnati while 770,000 lost power in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana.
Six-point-5 inches of rain caused flash-flood emergencies, an expired emergency in Perry County, Ohio, and prompted a Level 3 storm risk in Midwest and Ohio Valley.

History

Historical Context

The June 6 1998 Midwest derecho swept 400 mi across Iowa, Illinois and Indiana with 80-mph winds, 12 tornadoes and over $11 billion (2020 USD) in damage, catching forecasters off-guard. Such high-impact derechos appear about once each decade, re-emerging in June 2024 over the Ohio Valley where the SPC again issued a three-hour wind risk and tornado warnings for over 700,000 people.

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Story summary

The U.S. Storm Prediction Center labeled Midwest storm cluster a derecho—requiring 60 mi width, three-hour duration, 58 mph+ wind reports and five 75 mph gusts spaced 50 mi apart—and reviewing Cincinnati’s inclusion.
700,000 were under a tornado warning in Cincinnati while 770,000 lost power in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana.
Six-point-5 inches of rain caused flash-flood emergencies, an expired emergency in Perry County, Ohio, and prompted a Level 3 storm risk in Midwest and Ohio Valley.

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