The warm season of 2026 has set new records in the Midwest, marked by relentless and often deadly thunderstorms and tornadoes. These severe weather events have caused significant damage to homes and businesses, leaving hundreds of thousands without power.
With climate change expected to increase the frequency of severe thunderstorms in the Midwest, the power sector must consider this year’s challenges as a critical alert. This period provides an opportunity to evaluate potential weaknesses in the system and determine necessary investments to ensure a resilient and equitable energy grid capable of supplying reliable electricity to the region.
2026 Weather Surpasses Three-Decade Averages
Reflecting on the year’s weather extremes in the Midwest is a personal matter for me. To address the main point: my family is safe, though we narrowly missed being caught in some of the most severe storms to hit Wisconsin.
In mid-June, my husband and daughter took shelter in a barn in Belleville, Wisconsin, as a severe thunderstorm spawned a tornado nearby. The storm destroyed two homes and caused significant damage to several others in Belleville.
On another occasion, my daughter spent the last hour of her school year taking cover in her school’s basement, as a severe storm swept through the area with wind gusts exceeding 80 MPH. This storm was later identified as a derecho, a particularly intense type of severe thunderstorm.
Broadening the view from personal experiences, Wisconsin has experienced an extraordinary year. April was the most tornadic on record in 76 years, with 27 tornadoes compared to the usual single April tornado. While May was relatively calm, June saw 58 percent more severe storms than the average.
Wisconsin is not alone in these experiences. Most Midwest states recorded above-average tornado counts in April. Illinois, in particular, faced the greatest impact, with 212 tornadoes—more than three times its annual average over the past 30 years. The National Weather Service has issued 812 severe thunderstorm warnings in Illinois so far.
Impact on the Power System
The devastating and destructive storms hitting the Midwest this year have significantly impacted power infrastructure, with no signs of slowing down. During the Independence Day weekend, extreme heat and severe thunderstorms, exacerbated by climate change, resulted in extended power outages affecting hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses, placing many in dangerous heat conditions.
Nearly two million homes and businesses experienced power outages due to a series of severe thunderstorms in the Midwest and Ohio Valley in mid-June, as analyzed by PowerOutage.us. Many homes and businesses were without power for several days, including in my hometown of Madison, where storms downed power lines and broke poles. See this remarkable simulation of the power outages caused by severe storms on June 10.
Regrettably, this year is unlikely to be an exception when it comes to severe storms causing power outages in the Midwest. Certain aspects of severe thunderstorm activity are already intensifying due to human-induced climate change.
Additionally, as temperatures rise, thunderstorms are expected to occur earlier in the season in the Midwest, extending the period during which severe storms can develop. Climate change is also predicted to increase the likelihood of extreme heat alongside severe storms, putting further strain on the power system as seen during the Independence Day weekend, endangering communities.
Thus, it is crucial for the power sector to heed the warnings of this year. As my colleagues and I suggest in our report Power After the Storm, comprehensive climate risk assessments are essential to understand the challenges facing the grid and how to mitigate and manage these risks.
We also advocate for the power sector to transition to clean energy-powered grids to prevent the most severe impacts of climate change. Engaging with communities is equally important to ensure that investments and decisions align with the needs of all electricity grid customers.
By integrating this year’s experiences with advancements in climate science, we can enhance the resilience of our electricity grid to withstand future extreme weather events.
The author expresses gratitude to the Wisconsin State Climatology Office for their assistance with some statistics used in this blog.
