Chicago Faces Tornado and Flood Threats as Severe Storms Hit Region

53 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Apr 15

Severe storms with tornado and flood risks swept through the Chicago area Tuesday evening, prompting multiple tornado and flood watches and warnings.
The highest risk for tornadoes and large hail was north of I-80, with damaging winds and flash flooding also possible across much of northern Illinois and northwest Indiana.
Authorities urged residents to monitor alerts and take shelter as needed, with power crews on standby to respond to outages and damage from the storms.

How prepared are local utilities and emergency services to handle a night of severe tornadoes and widespread power outages?

What makes northern Illinois and Michiana especially vulnerable to this week's severe weather compared to neighboring regions?

With hailstorms causing billions in damage, are current insurance policies and premiums enough to protect Midwestern homeowners?

Are repeated severe weather events forcing a fundamental rethink of how the military and critical infrastructure prepare for climate risks?

Will the new SPC intensity levels and Conditional Intensity Groups improve public response to severe weather threats?

How might the aging infrastructure in Michigan and across the Midwest worsen the impact of today's storms and flooding?