Merve Berker
12 June 2026•Update: 12 June 2026
Severe storms and suspected tornadoes swept across the US Midwest this week, leaving at least one person dead and causing widespread damage and power outages, while meteorologists warn that a potentially strong El Nino climate pattern could contribute to more extreme weather conditions in the coming months, media reports said on Thursday.
A 54-year-old man was killed in Des Moines, Iowa, after a tree fell on him during severe storms at a homeless encampment, CBS News reported.
By Thursday evening, tornadoes had been reported in approximately 11 communities across Illinois and Wisconsin, while more than 243,000 residents in Illinois were without power.
The National Weather Service have elevated the Chicago area to a Level 4 out of 5 severe weather risk, a designation associated with widespread severe storms.
Tornadoes were confirmed in several areas southwest of Chicago, while damage to homes, businesses, airports and animal shelters was reported across parts of Illinois, Missouri and Wisconsin.
More than 1,000 flights were delayed or canceled at Chicago-area airports as storms moved eastward, fueled by a clash between cooler Canadian air and warm, humid air from the South.
The severe weather comes as the National Weather Service officially declared the arrival of El Nino, a climate pattern linked with warmer Pacific Ocean temperatures and significant shifts in global weather systems, NBC News reported.
Forecasters said there is a 63% chance that the event could rank among the strongest El Nino episodes on record between November and January.
Meteorologists expect El Nino to bring warmer and drier conditions to parts of the Pacific Northwest while increasing the risk of heavier rainfall and flooding across portions of southern US.
Scientists also warned that rising ocean temperatures could contribute to marine heat waves, disrupt marine ecosystems and trigger unusual wildlife activity along the US West Coast.
While El Nino can amplify global temperatures, experts said climate change remains the primary driver of recent record-breaking warmth worldwide.
