Severe weather wreaks havoc in areas of Midwest, causes flash flooding in Rockford

Volatile spring weather is bringing lots of rain, thunderstorms, high winds and tornado activity to the Midwest this week.

According to the National Weather Service, the Rockford area is under an elevated thunderstorm risk with limited chances of hail, flooding and high winds Wednesday and a limited thunderstorm risk Thursday.

"A greater severe weather threat will exist farther south into central Illinois and central Indiana," the weather service reported. "Locally heavy rainfall amounts of greater than a half inch are also possible across much of the outlook area tonight into early Thursday."

Record rainfall in Rockford

The official rain total Tuesday at the Chicago Rockford International Airport was 1.37 inches, a new record for May 7.

According to the National Weather Service, the previous record was 1.08 inches set in 1997. Areas of Rockford, Loves Park and Machesney Park saw flash flooding Tuesday.

Possible tornado in Harvard

A barn collapsed in Harvard, Illinois, Tuesday afternoon as severe storms and high winds passed through the region. Four animals were killed. Dozens of animals were saved. No people were injured.

According to the National Weather Service, a survey team is on its way to Harvard to determine if it was a tornado or straight-line winds that caused a barn to collapse.

From Oklahoma to Michigan

Multiple reported tornadoes caused extensive damage in Michigan and Oklahoma this week. Homes and businesses were destroyed. A FedEx facility in Portage, Michigan, was heavily damaged. About a dozen people were injured in a mobile home park in Kalamazoo County.

One person was killed and several other injured in Barnsdall, Oklahoma Monday night when a tornado caused widespread damage.

Dozens of tornadoes were reported across the Midwest Monday and Tuesday.

The outlook

According to the National Weather Service, severe storms are possible Wednesday and Thursday for central and southern Illinois as well as the eastern Great Plains with possible tornado winds and hail. More storms, but not as severe, are possible for the Great Lakes region.

Chris Green is a Rockford Register Star general assignment reporter. He can be reached at 815-987-1241, via email at cgreen@rrsrtar.com and X @chrisfgreen .

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Severe weather wreaks havoc in areas of Midwest, causes flash flooding in Rockford