High Wind Warning Today: 450,000 Without Power as Destructive Gusts Sweep From Midwest to Mid-Atlantic

A historic multi-day high wind warning event is battering the United States this week, with a powerful and relentless storm system driving damaging gusts from Nebraska and the Great Lakes all the way to the Mid-Atlantic coast. As of Monday, March 16, the high wind warning threat has shifted east — hitting Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, and the Northeast — while hundreds of thousands of customers remain without power from earlier strikes in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan.

High Wind Warning Mid-Atlantic — Monday's Peak Danger Zone

Today's most urgent high wind warning threat sits squarely across the Eastern United States. Forecasters said the storms will spread eastward and threaten a large swath of the Eastern US, with mid-Atlantic states — including Washington DC — at greatest risk for high winds and tornadoes today. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys warned successive punches of snow, wind and severe weather are going to impact the eastern half of the United States.

A destructive wind line of storms is charging east toward the coast, packing particularly damaging winds, with gusts expected to exceed 70 to 75 mph — strong enough to snap large trees and cause widespread power outages across major metro areas. The peak of the event for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, including Philadelphia and Baltimore, is expected during the late afternoon and early evening hours Monday.

Missouri and Kansas High Wind Warning — 60 MPH Gusts Led the Outbreak

The current wind siege began over the weekend across the central plains and has steadily pushed east since Friday. The National Weather Service issued a High Wind Warning for portions of north central, northeast, and northwest Missouri, with northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph and gusts up to 60 mph expected. Damaging winds blew down trees and power lines, with widespread power outages reported across the region.

In addition to the strong winds, falling and blowing snow created periods of significantly reduced visibility across portions of Missouri, compounding hazards for travelers already dealing with downed debris and damaged roadways.

Chicago High Wind Warning — 60 MPH Gusts, O'Hare Delays, Buildings Damaged

Chicago and surrounding suburbs braced against high winds Friday, with gusts reaching up to 60 mph, causing power outages, tree limbs and debris blowing across yards and roads, and semitrucks rolling over on highways. The National Weather Service issued a High Wind Warning for north central and northeast Illinois, as well as northwest Indiana.

As of 8:30 a.m. Friday, ComEd reported more than 23,000 customers without power. The company said crews had already restored power for more than 55,000 customers that morning, noting that the strong winds came just days after more than 27,000 customers were impacted by an EF3 tornado the previous Tuesday.

Strong wind gusts damaged buildings in Skokie and Niles and downed trees and power lines across the Chicago metro area during Friday's high wind warning event.

Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan — 450,000 Lose Power Saturday

The high wind warning then blasted into the Great Lakes states on Saturday, producing the most widespread power outage event of the week. Nearly 450,000 customers were still affected by midafternoon Saturday in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan, with winds taking down a gas station canopy in New Franklin, Ohio, and an auto parts store sign in Baldwin, Pennsylvania. Trees and tree limbs fell into or onto homes and cars from Cleveland to Pittsburgh.

High winds also fueled multiple wildfires across Nebraska's range and grassland, causing one death in Arthur County. The Morrill County fire burned at least 735 square miles across four counties since Thursday, destroying at least 12 structures.

Minneapolis Blizzard and Travel Chaos Compound the High Wind Warning Crisis

More than 600 flights were canceled at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Sunday, with dozens more through Detroit also scrapped. O'Hare and Midway international airports in Chicago reported more than 850 cancellations as rain and snow moved overnight into Monday.

A broad and erratic patchwork of severe weather rumbled across much of the US Sunday, dumping heavy snow and making roads impassable in the Upper Midwest while damaging high winds swept across the Plains. An area from central Wisconsin to Michigan's Upper Peninsula was expected to see over 2 feet of snow, with higher isolated totals on the Upper Peninsula.

High Wind Warning Safety Rules — What to Do Right Now

Residents under a High Wind Warning are advised to remain in the lower levels of their home during the windstorm, avoid windows, and watch for falling debris and tree limbs. Travel is particularly dangerous for high-profile vehicles including trucks, RVs, and SUVs. Keep devices charged, monitor the National Weather Service for updated alerts, and stay indoors until the high wind warning in your area has expired.