You could hear it before you saw it. Then, within seconds, trees twisted, rooftops ripped, and buildings buckled under the pressure of winds that roared through southeastern Wisconsin Thursday night. Communities across the Midwest braced for impact as a powerful wave of severe storms swept through, spawning tornadoes and leaving more than 400,000 people in the dark.
“The south side of the city has undergone substantial damage from a potential tornado,” said Mayville Mayor Rob Boelk. “Residential homes and factories have sustained significant destruction.”
Widespread Outages, Midwest Reels
By early Friday morning, the Midwest was grappling with the aftermath. PowerOutage.us reported over 425,000 homes and businesses without electricity. Michigan took the hardest hit, with more than 250,000 outages. Indiana followed, where 65,000 customers lost power overnight. These numbers reflected just how ferocious the winds remained as the storms moved east.
Despite the chaos, officials reported no fatalities. First responders in Wisconsin worked quickly, rescuing trapped residents and checking damaged neighborhoods for injuries. Local leaders credited early warnings and fast community response for the lack of serious casualties.
In Chicago, the severe weather forced a delay at Soldier Field, where Beyoncé fans had gathered for her Cowboy Carter Tour. As storms rolled in, concertgoers scrambled into stadium concourses for shelter. The rain pounded, winds howled, but the energy didn’t wane. After a two-hour delay, the show kicked off at 10:15 p.m., according to the Chicago Sun Times. No injuries were reported.
The National Weather Service confirmed dozens of wind damage reports across the region and warned that the threat of more severe weather isn’t over yet. With cleanup just beginning and many still without power, residents from Wisconsin to Indiana are left facing long days ahead.
As the sun rose Friday, the full scope of the destruction became clearer. For many families, it wasn’t just a storm. It was a night that tore through the heart of their towns, and one they won’t soon forget.
