Severe Thunderstorm Forecast

Severe thunderstorms are producing widespread damaging winds across a part of the Midwest today as a derecho races eastward.

The complex of storms has knocked out power and caused tree damage from around Omaha, Nebraska, to central Iowa. Winds gusted up to 99 mph as these storms passed through Marshalltown, Iowa. Nearly 190,000 homes and businesses have lost power in Nebraska and Iowa, according to poweroutage.us.

The severe thunderstorms are expected to track eastward through the eastern half of Iowa to northern Illinois, far southern Wisconsin, northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan into the afternoon and early evening hours.

Tree damage, power outages and some structural damage will occur along the path of these thunderstorms, particularly in the purple-shaded areas of the map above. This includes the Chicago metro area by later this afternoon.

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 7 p.m. CDT from eastern Iowa into southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. NOAA's Storm Prediction Center says this is a "particularly dangerous situation" and that wind gusts could top 80 mph in some locations.

Current Radar, Watches and Warnings

The Weather Companys primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

The Weather Companys primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

Go here to read the rest:

Midwest Derecho in Progress: Widespread Damaging Winds Race Eastward - The Weather Channel