By Andrew Kozak and Kerry Breen
Updated April 18, 2026 / CBS News
Communities across the Midwest and Great Lakes began cleanup Saturday after a series of tornadoes and severe storms moved from the Great Lakes down toward Texas. Utility trackers showed more than 70,000 customers without power Saturday morning in the region, though most outages were repaired by evening.
The National Weather Service office in La Crosse, Wisconsin, said it issued 26 tornado warnings during Friday’s outbreak — the most warnings in a single day since the office opened in 1995. The office added that the highest concentration of tornadoes occurred north of Interstate 90 in southeast Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin.
An EF-2 tornado struck Rochester, Minnesota, about 90 miles south of Minneapolis, producing peak winds of up to 125 mph. Residents compared the sound of the storm to “a freight train.” The tornado heavily damaged the home of an 89-year-old man; he was reported uninjured despite extensive damage to the house. More than a dozen homes in Rochester were damaged or destroyed, but local officials reported no serious injuries. Neighbors quickly organized to clear debris, with one resident saying they were helping people they did not even know.
In Lena, Illinois, a tornado caused widespread damage and knocked out power Friday afternoon. Stephenson County officials reported downed trees and power lines that blocked roads and said there was “fairly extensive damage” at the village elementary and high schools while students were inside. A Lena resident said she sheltered in a basement with her dog after hearing a loud crash. County authorities said there were no fatalities or serious injuries from the storms in their area.
A tornado in a Kansas City suburb destroyed homes and caused power losses but did not produce fatalities or serious injuries. Oklahoma saw damage across several areas: downed trees and lines in Ponca City and Kay County, roof damage on some homes, and damage to a marina at Kaw Lake. Osage County around McCord also reported downed trees and power lines.
Forecasters warned that another round of severe thunderstorms was possible Saturday afternoon into the night across parts of the Southern Plains, Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes, putting roughly 28 million people at risk. The primary threat was forecast to be damaging straight-line winds, with isolated hail, flash flooding and tornadoes also possible. The storm system was expected to move eastward, reaching the East Coast late Saturday into Sunday.
Local emergency crews, utility workers and volunteers continued assessing damage, restoring power and clearing roads. Officials urged residents in affected areas to stay cautious around downed lines and unstable structures and to follow local guidance for shelter and recovery.
Jonah Kaplan and Anthony Bettin contributed to this report.