What Are The Chances Of Tornadoes In February? A Great Lake? Destruction Leaves a Trail

(CTN News) – A spell of summer-like temperatures and severe thunderstorms may have spawned a rare tornado outbreak in February that affected Chicago and other Great Lakes regions.

Michigan’s Grand Blanc Township, near Flint, was hit by strong winds that uprooted gas lines, damaged subdivisions, and tore up trees. Despite police reports of a tornado, weather authorities have yet to confirm it.

Firefighters and police evacuated residents in an area affected by gas leaks, and they were allowed to return after utilities repaired the problem. Several wires remain down. A significant number of houses have been damaged, but no one has been injured.

On Facebook, the sheriff’s office reported that a tornado damaged homes and barns in Lee Township, more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) to the southwest. Rescue teams cleared roads, but no injuries were reported.

Residents of central Ohio were jolted awake by warning sirens as a tornado approached Columbus. There were significant damage reports at an airport in Madison County, between Dayton and Columbus. Debris from fallen trees closed area roads until they could be cleared.

The PowerOutage.us website reports that more than 50,000 Ohio and Michigan customers lost power on Wednesday.

According to Geneva Fire Chief Mike Antenore, storms Tuesday evening uprooted trees and broke windows in some homes. As a result of the storm, Geneva resident Rebecca Harrington’s foyer collapsed. According to WGN-TV, Harrington’s house is hanging off the back.

In recent days, Illinois experienced unusual warmth, according to the National Weather Service office. The temperatures dropped to the 20s Wednesday after the warm temperatures earlier in the week.

This would be only the second February tornado in Grand Blanc Township since records began in 1950, following one in Wayne County on Feb. 28, 1974, according to meteorologist Dave Kook of the National Weather Service.

Kook said Tuesday and Wednesday’s warm weather and severe storms, which included hail up to an inch in diameter, were unusual for the area. The weather is not typical of late February in any way, he said. It’s kind of a month early for southeast Michigan.”

Since 2012, winter tornadoes have been recorded almost every year in the southwest and central Ohio weather service offices. Weather service teams will survey the region to confirm tornado reports. This report was contributed by Associated Press writers Sarah Brumfield and Corey Williams.

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