'Chiclone' Wreaks Havoc on Chicago and Midwest

(Oct. 26) -- UPDATED, 2:35 p.m. EDT -- A massive weather system that forecasters say could be the worst in the Midwest in 70 years has been wreaking havoc across the region since early this morning, leaving tens of thousands of people without power, CNN reports.

Strong winds and rain are blowing across an area that spans from the Dakotas to the eastern Great Lakes and south into the central states. The areas most likely to be affected by the weather system are northern Alabama, central and eastern Kentucky, southeastern Michigan, northeastern Mississippi, western and central Ohio, and middle Tennessee. The storm could even send severe thunderstorms as far east as Washington, D.C. by tonight. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for North Dakota, where some parts of the state could get as much as 10 inches.

The "Chiclone" or "Great Lakes Cyclone," as it is known around Chicago, is expected to carry a central pressure equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane, according to Edward Fenelon, a meteorologist in Romeoville, Ill., who spoke with The Associated Press.

The National Weather Service reported that an all-time record low barometer reading for the state of Minnesota was set this morning at Aitkin, where the barometric pressure was 28.42 inches. The weather service said pressure falls are expected to continue through the afternoon as the storm system deepens.

The infrared scan below, taken with NOAA's GOES-13 satellite at 7:45 a.m. EDT today, shows the giant storm moving across the Midwest and central states.



The Windy City earned its nickname this morning. As of 1:30 p.m. CDT, airlines at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport were experiencing delays and more than 450 flights from the Chicago airports have been canceled.

A woman in Lake Villa, Ill., about 50 miles northwest of Chicago, was impaled when a tree branch fell approximately 60 feet and crashed through her windshield as she drove through the storm this morning. She survived the accident and was taken to a hospital where she underwent surgery, the Chicago Tribune reports.

A tornado in Will County, outside Chicago, blew the roof off a house this morning, slightly injuring two teenagers inside, the Chicago Tribune reports. A neighbor said he saw three tornadoes touch down in close proximity. The third twister hit the house and two barns.

"There was a sound of the wind, then there was a tiny whistle and everything exploding around. Glass was exploding everywhere, it was like a bomb went off," one of the injured teens, Justin Schroeder, 17, told the Tribune. "I just thought it had blown out a couple of windows then I walked around the house and saw what had happened."

The Chase Tower in Indianapolis was evacuated briefly during the storm. The building's occupants were sent to a fallout shelter for refuge, CNN reports. The video below, taken by a CNN iReporter, shows the wind blowing through Central Indiana.



Earlier this morning, Twitter chatter about the Chiclone included many unimpressed reports from those in the Chicago area.

WrigleySports asked:



But now users are beginning to see the effects of the storm. MelanieBen wrote:



The greatest risk for severe weather will occur today, with a lesser threat continuing into early Wednesday in the Appalachians and lower Great Lakes, according to the National Weather Service.

A jet stream packing winds in excess of 175 mph will move from the central Rockies across the central plains and into Ohio tonight. The winds from the jet stream will mix with moisture moving north from the Gulf Coast states, causing fierce bands of thunderstorms to form tonight and Wednesday in parts of Ohio, the Tennessee Valleys and the Great Lakes.