Damaging storms swept through the Midwest, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of customers and causing more than a thousand flight delays or cancellations at Chicago airports.
The National Weather Service said it received more than a dozen reports of tornadoes Wednesday across northern Missouri, Iowa, Kansas and Illinois. There were no immediate reports of injuries or deaths.
At around 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, ComEd reported over 200,000 customers without power due to severe weather. Shortly before 7:30 p.m., more than 250,000 customers were without power.
“Right now, more than 100 crews are working around the clock to safely and efficiently restore service after this unique storm brought widespread damage and challenging conditions across our service area, including downed power lines, broken poles, and fallen trees and large limbs impacting equipment,” ComEd said in a post on X.
We know how difficult and frustrating it is to be without power, and we truly appreciate your patience. Right now, more than 100 crews are working around the clock to safely and efficiently restore service after this unique storm brought widespread damage and challenging… pic.twitter.com/KyzlKBcSFP
— ComEd (@ComEd) June 11, 2026
O’Hare International Airport and Midway International Airport temporarily put all flights on hold in the evening due to thunderstorms.
By Wednesday evening, more than 1,000 flights going into and out of Chicago had been delayed or canceled, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking website.
Meteorologist Mike Bardou said some isolated flash flooding was expected, along with high winds potentially reaching speeds of 60 miles per hour or greater. Bardou added that there was also a slight chance of isolated hail.
The severe thunderstorms come after a stretch of warm weather in the Chicago area, with temperatures into the lower 90s and heat indexes up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit Wednesday, according to the weather service.
Heat and storms are expected to stay in the area through Thursday, with temperatures expected in the high 80s. By Thursday afternoon, Bardou said, there would be another round of severe thunderstorms reaching the western suburbs after 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. and continuing until sunset with another slightly higher chance of tornadoes and hail.
The jump in temperatures represents the first serious heat the area has seen this season. While high temperatures and severe thunderstorms are typical for this time in June, Bardou said area residents should pay attention to the changing weather and be prepared.
“It’s not extreme, necessarily, but it’s hotter and more humid than we’ve had lately, so people need to take precautions and make sure they stay hydrated and take breaks, especially if they need to work outside,” he said. “Stay weather aware.”
The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services opened twelve cooling centers through Thursday. The cooling center locations include:
• Auburn Gresham Center, 1140 W. 79th St.
• Garfield Center, 10 S. Kedzie Ave.
• Martin Luther King Center, 4314 S. Cottage Grove Ave.
• North Area Center, 845 W. Wilson Ave.
• South Chicago Center, 8650 S. Commercial Ave.
• Trina Davila Center, 4312 W. North Ave.
• Central West Senior Center, 2102 W. Ogden Ave.
• Northeast Senior Center, 2019 W. Lawrence Ave.
• Northwest Senior Center, 3160 N. Milwaukee Ave.
• Renaissance Court, 78 E. Washington St.
• Southeast Senior Center, 1767 E. 79th St.
• Southwest Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie Ave.
The centers are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for Renaissance Court, which is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
