Midwest’s Blowout Year of Storms, Power Outages Is a Window into Its Climate-Changed Future; We Must Heed It

The Midwest has had an extreme year for severe weather in 2026, with tornadoes and thunderstorms far outpacing 30-year averages. Illinois has seen 212 tornadoes so far this year, more than three times its typical annual count, along with 812 severe thunderstorm warnings from the National Weather Service, compared with a long-term average of 608. Wisconsin had its most tornadic April in 76 years, with 27 twisters touching down, and June brought 58 percent more severe storms than usual. Michigan also saw tornado counts nearly double its average.

These storms have caused widespread power outages. In mid-June, nearly two million homes and businesses across the Midwest and Ohio Valley lost power, some for multiple days, after storms downed power lines and broke poles. Over the Fourth of July weekend, a combination of extreme heat and severe thunderstorms knocked out power for hundreds of thousands more homes, leaving people without air conditioning during dangerous heat.

Scientists expect climate change to keep intensifying severe thunderstorm activity in the Midwest and to push the storm season earlier in the year, while also raising the odds of extreme heat hitting at the same time as storms. For homeowners, this points to a pattern of more frequent and longer power outages during severe weather. It's a reminder to think about how your home would handle an extended outage, whether that means backup power, insulation and sealing that helps hold indoor temperatures, or simply a plan for staying safe if the power goes out during a heat wave or storm.