Tornadoes, Baseball-Sized Hail and Flooding Risks Sweep Across Wisconsin, Iowa and the Midwest as Storm Threat Persists

Tornadoes and giant hail leave fresh damage across the Midwest

A volatile stretch of spring weather tore across the central United States this week, with tornadoes and giant hail damaging homes, knocking down power lines and leaving communities across the Midwest cleaning up while new storms continue to build.

Tuesday evening brought some of the most intense weather so far. In parts of Wisconsin and Iowa, powerful supercell storms dropped hail as large as baseballs and spawned tornadoes that tore through neighborhoods and rural communities. Roofs were ripped apart, buildings were damaged and at least one home was destroyed.

Near Union Center, WI, one tornado prompted a rare “particularly dangerous situation" warning as it moved through Juneau County. Emergency officials said the storm caused significant damage to multiple homes, brought down power lines and left several roads blocked by debris and fallen trees.

Despite the scale of the damage, officials said there were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries. Damage survey teams from the National Weather Service were expected to assess the storm’s path and strength.

Storm corridor stretches from Texas to the Great Lakes

This is not a one-day event. The storms are part of a broader multi-day outbreak that began earlier this week and is expected to continue into the end of the workweek.

Since Monday night, more than two dozen tornado reports have been logged across a wide swath of the country, from Oklahoma and Kansas through southern Minnesota, WI and Michigan. Large hail has also been widespread, with nearly 100 reports of stones ranging from lime-sized to softball-sized.

By Wednesday afternoon, fresh storms were already redeveloping. Forecasters warned that severe weather threats, including large hail, destructive wind gusts and isolated tornadoes, would stretch from areas near Dallas, TX, northward toward Chicago, IL.

The highest concern was focused from the Texas and Oklahoma border north into Iowa and northwest Illinois, where atmospheric conditions remained favorable for more organized severe thunderstorms.

Wisconsin, IA and nearby states remain under threat

The atmosphere over the Upper Midwest remains highly unstable, with warm, humid air continuing to feed storms ahead of active weather boundaries.

In Maple Bluff, WI, hailstones large enough to cause major property damage fell during Tuesday’s storms. Hail of that size can shatter windows, destroy siding, dent vehicles and cause serious injuries to anyone caught outside.

In Chicago, IL, and Grand Rapids, MI, severe thunderstorms also brought dangerous winds. Grand Rapids’ airport recorded an 80 mph wind gust, underscoring how quickly these storms can intensify even outside tornado-producing cells.

Tornado warnings were issued for millions of people Tuesday night into early Wednesday, including residents in Milwaukee and Madison, WI; Detroit and Ann Arbor, MI; and Fayetteville, AR.

At the University of Michigan and the University of Arkansas, students and staff were told to shelter as storms moved through.

Flooding adds to the danger as rivers run high

The severe weather threat is not limited to tornadoes and hail. Flooding is also becoming an increasing concern, especially in Michigan and Wisconsin, where rivers are already elevated from recent rainfall.

With more rounds of storms expected, saturated ground and swollen waterways could quickly push some areas toward flood conditions. Existing flood defenses are already being tested in parts of the region.

The repeated storms are creating a dangerous setup where communities may have little time to recover before the next wave arrives.

Earlier tornadoes already caused heavy damage in Kansas

The outbreak began Monday night with destructive tornadoes in Kansas.

Two EF2 tornadoes struck eastern Kansas, including one in Miami County that caused widespread structural damage. Local authorities said around 100 structures were affected, with roughly 50 to 60 either destroyed or heavily damaged.

Much of the destruction was centered around Hillsdale, where residents faced a long night of cleanup after homes, barns and outbuildings were hit.

Severe weather threat continues through late week

Forecasters said Wednesday’s storms were expected to lean more toward damaging winds and large hail, though tornadoes remain possible.

The broader risk zone extends well beyond the central Plains, reaching parts of the southern Great Lakes and even northwest Pennsylvania.

This prolonged setup means more communities could face rapidly changing weather over the next several days. One storm passes, another builds. That has been the pattern all week, and it is not over yet.