Massive tornado destroys FedEx building
Video shows a massive tornado hitting Portage, Michigan, destroying a FedEx building. Steve Bender reports the city saw a second potential tornado 15 minutes later.
PORTAGE, Mich. – Powerful thunderstorms caused chaos across the United States for the second day in a row this week, targeting the Midwest and Ohio Valley on Tuesday.
A series of showers and thunderstorms rushed east earlier Tuesday, briefly flooding several states in parts of the Midwest. On Tuesday afternoon, new severe storms erupted in the region. Tornado warnings extended from Michigan to Kentucky Tuesday evening.
Significant damage was reported in Portage, Michigan, after a tornado forecast storm passed through the town just south of Kalamazoo. Images and videos posted to social media show extensive damage at a FedEx facility in the city. The town of about 50,000 was placed under a second tornado warning about an hour later.
“Please avoid all travel in the Town of Portage until further notice,” Portage Public Safety officials wrote on Facebook.
Aerial video from storm trackers showed extensive damage to several mobile homes after the storms. Some houses were toppled, while others were broken by the tornado.
Aerial video shows tornado damage at mobile home park in Portage, Michigan
Aerial video showed several mobile homes suffered significant damage during a storm warning of a tornado as it moved through Portage, Michigan, on Tuesday.
A tornado emergency, the most severe of the tornado warnings, was issued for Union City, Michigan, where the National Weather Service said a “significant and destructive tornado” was moving through the area. Catastrophic damage was expected. There are several reports of trees and buildings damaged by this story. This was the first time a tornado emergency was issued in Michigan.
FOX 32 Chicago helicopter video showed damage to a barn near Harvard, Illinois, from a possible tornado. Rescuers could be seen searching through the rubble. FOX 32 reported that four animals were killed when the barn collapsed.
FOX Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic showed video of a tornado moving through an area near Milroy, Indiana.
“It’s not warned, it’s a tornado on the ground”
Exclusive FOX Weather Storm Tracker Brandon Copic in Milroy, Indiana, captured a tornado on the ground live on television in an area that was not under a tornado warning. He asked FOX Weather to alert the NWS.
Tree and roof damage was reported in Greenville, Ohio, after a tornado-warned storm passed through the area. In Mercer, Ohio, trees were reported to have been uprooted by a possible tornado.
About 30,000 power outages have been reported in Michigan, according to PowerOutage.us.
Tuesday’s forecast
The SPC highlighted a larger area where tornadoes could become strong (EF-2 or greater). This includes Indianapolis, Indiana, Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio, and Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky. More than 13 million people there are classified at a level 3 out of 5 severe weather risk.
MAY IS PEAK TORNADO MONTH IN THE UNITED STATES
Severe weather forecast for Tuesday. (FOX Weather)
Severe weather threat increases Wednesday
Numerous severe thunderstorms are expected Wednesday from parts of the Southern Plains to the central Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee valleys.
Severe weather on Wednesday appears to be higher than Tuesday, meaning there are likely better opportunities for tornadoes. The FOX Forecast Center believes some of these tornadoes could be strong, long-track tornadoes.
One of the big unknowns is media coverage of Wednesday morning’s storm activity. More widespread storms early in the day would limit the severe weather potential for Wednesday afternoon, so this portion of the forecast will need to be closely monitored.
Some major cities like Memphis and Nashville in Tennessee, St. Louis in Missouri, and Louisville and Lexington in Kentucky all face a risk of severe weather on Wednesday.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR A TORNADO
Severe weather forecast for Wednesday. (FOX Weather)
Severe storms move south and east Thursday
On Thursday, a wide area of severe storms is possible from parts of central and eastern Texas into the lower Mississippi Valley and the Southeast, extending northeastward into parts of the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic.
Damaging winds and hail will likely be the main threats, although a tornado or two cannot be ruled out.
The FOX Forecast Center said the exact timing of these storms is a little uncertain as it will depend on what happens with Wednesday’s severe weather, but the most likely time frame for severe thunderstorms will be in the post -noon and in the evening.
WHICH COUNTIES IN THE UNITED STATES ARE MOST AT RISK FOR TORNADO DAMAGE?
Severe weather forecast for Thursday. (FOX Weather)
Additionally, further flooding is possible, particularly in East Texas, where catastrophic flooding has already occurred last week and over the weekend. An additional 2 to 3 inches of rain is expected to fall in this area.
