Massive damaging derecho tears from Iowa to Chicago

112 mph winds in Iowa, extensive tree damage in Chicago

The storm that rocked the Twin Cities Sunday night was intense. But we got off very lucky compared to Iowa and Chicago.

A massive damaging derecho raced across Iowa all the way to Chicago Monday.

The storm formed in South Dakota then intensified and raced east through Iowa and hit Chicago during the afternoon rush hour Monday.

The storm caused widespread damage around Chicagoland. Check out this roof being peeled off.

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There are reports of extensive tree damage around Chicago. From what I’m seeing, there are likely thousands, if not tens of thousands of trees down around the greater Chicago area.

100 mph winds

Doppler radar detected 130 mph winds just above ground level as the storm passed near Des Moines, Iowa.

Wind gusts in Iowa exceeded 100 mph.

Widespread damage

The damage pictures coming in are nothing short of stunning. This is what 80 to 100-plus mph winds will do.

This truck near Chicago was impaled by what looks like a 4-by-4 post.

Nearly half a million customers are without power across Iowa. That’s a huge amount for a state with spread-out population centers.

Corn is flattened.

Storm damage reports are still pouring in. This is very likely our latest billion-dollar weather disasters in the U.S.