Severe Weather Outbreak To Conclude Saturday With Damaging Winds, Isolated Tornado Threat In the Great Lakes, Appalachians

One more day of severe weather is ahead today in the eastern Great Lakes after a very active day across the Plains and Midwest, with several tornadoes already confirmed in the Midwest on Friday. Damaging winds will be the main threat as we move into the weekend.

Multiple tornadoes have already been confirmed. A tornado flipped a semi-tractor near Elgin, Minnesota, and caused damage on two farmsteads.

(Live Updates:News And Reports From The Severe Weather)

Another tornado damaged homes in Marion, Minnesota, in the Rochester area.

Severe t-storms started Friday morning in parts of Minnesota with quarter size hail reported in Kasota and New Ulm. Tennis ball size hail fell this afternoon near Tama, Iowa, or between Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.

Happening Now

The maps below show the current radar, along with any watches or warnings currently in effect.

Severe Forecast

There may still be at least some isolated to scattered severe thunderstorms ahead of a cold front Saturday in the eastern Great Lakes and Ohio Valley.

But we're not expecting this activity to be nearly as widespread as Friday.

Fortunately, the nation should get at least a three-day break from severe weather as the cold front sweeps off the East Coast Sunday.

(MORE:How To Stay Safe In Severe Weather|Underrated Falling Tree Danger)

Flood Forecast

The combination of previous rounds of heavy rain and, in some areas, melting snow has already triggered serious flooding in parts of the western Great Lakes. Flooding is also possible as far south as Missouri due to heavy rain that will come with Friday's squall line.

Some stretches of rivers in Michigan and Wisconsin are eitherin or forecast to crest in major flood stage.

Flood watches and flood warnings continue for the areas below.

Why The Severe Parade?

What is going on here is actually pretty interesting. We have a high-pressure system that is sitting across the eastern U.S. This is forcing Gulf moisture to be pushed northward across the Plains.

We then have southward plunges of the jet stream, or troughs, pivoting out of the West into the Central Plains. Troughs like this generally bring severe weather.

Because of the high-pressure system across the East and the aforementioned troughs, severe weather may hit many of the same areas for days.

Recap

It's been a daily pounding of severe weather so far in the Plains and Midwest, from Texas to the Great Lakes, and even parts of the Northeast.

There have been over 750 reports of severe weather from Monday through Thursday night, including almost 50 reports of tornadoes. The exact number of actual tornadoes is not yet clear, pending additional surveys from the National Weather Service.

Monday and Monday night, there were 19 reports of tornadoes, including sighted tornadoes near Truman, Minnesota, in Taylor County, Wisconsin, and in Miami County, Kansas.

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An EF2 was confirmed in Franklin County, Kansas.

Hail up to the size of baseballs or large apples was reported in several areas of southern Minnesota and eastern Kansas.

An overnight squall line of severe thunderstorms knocked out power to almost 90,000 customers in southern Wisconsin. Wind gusts removed the roof of a home in Jefferson, Wisconsin, and damaged siding in Burlington, Wisconsin.

Flash flooding stranded vehicles Monday night in Green Bay and Neenah, Wisconsin.

The combination of heavy rain, warmer air and snowpack has led to significant flooding in northern Michigan.

Flooding washed out a section of M-119, the "Tunnel of Trees" scenic highway north of Petoskey, Michigan.

Just south of Traverse City, Michigan, theManistee River near Sherman, Michigan, already obliterated its previous record crest by over 2 feet in records dating to the Great Depression.

Gaylord, Michigan, not only topped its record wet April not even halfway through the month (8.25 inches), but also smashed its record wet spring (14.46 inches) just halfway through, as well.

Both Alpena (2.24 inches) and Houghton Lake (2.97 inches), Michigan, also had their wettest April day on record last Sunday.

Tuesday, a strong tornadodestroyed a home near Union City, Wisconsin. The preliminary survey came back that this tornado was an EF3 with estimated peak winds of 140 mph. It was the strongest April tornado in Wisconsin in 15 years.

Another tornado confirmed by radar took multiple roofs off a commercial facility and damaged a church in the northwest Milwaukee suburb of Sussex and Lisbon. That tornado was rated an EF2.

Several tornadoes were documented by storm chasers in Iowa, including one captured in a 360-degree drone video near Wyoming, Iowa. At least one building was damaged near Masonville from a possible tornado.

Hail from golf ball to softball size pelted Dane County, Wisconsin, including the city of Madison,damaging at least 1,700 vehicles. Siding and roof damage were reported in Black Earth, Wisconsin.

The only other softball-size — 4-inch diameter — hail on record in Dane County prior to Tuesday was on July 2, 1960, according to NOAA's Storm Events database.

Wind caused significant damage to farm buildings and wooden stakes were impaled into the ground in Delhi, Iowa, Tuesday evening. Winds gusted as high as 88 mph in Dubuque, Iowa, and 80 mph at Grand Rapids, Michigan.

High winds also lead to roof and structural damage near Chickasaw, Ohio.

In western Oklahoma, winds gusting to 84 mph blew large hail and caused structural damage in Elk City. High winds also damaged a home near Warren, Oklahoma.

Wednesday, wind-driven hail damaged some homes and vehicles in parts of Kansas, Nebraska and Ohio, including parts of the Cleveland metro area.

Wednesday night, a quick 2 to 4 inches of rain fell over saturated ground and triggeredmajor flash flooding in Milwaukee, including around American Family Field, trapping motorists leaving from the Blue Jays - Brewers baseball game. It rained so hard thatrain leaked through gaps in the roof of the stadium during the game.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has already broken its wettest April on record with a total so far of 7.57 inches.

Rob Shackelfordis a meteorologist and climate scientist at weather.com. He received his undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia studying meteorology and experimenting with alternative hurricane forecasting tools.

byAlpha World

in

April 18, 2026

Severe Weather Outbreak To Conclude Saturday With Damaging Winds, Isolated Tornado Threat In the Great Lakes, Appalachians

One more day of severe weather is ahead today in the eastern Great Lakes after a very active day across the Plains and Midwest, with se...

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As Rory McIlroy reigns, CBS averages nearly 14 million viewers during most-watched final round of Masters since 2015

Rory McIlroy blew a six-stroke lead Saturday, then fell two strokes behind early Sunday. But a day that could have fostered a historic Masters letdowninstead featured McIlroy’s latest triumphas the Northern Irish icon roared back in front and stayed there to become the fourth golfer to win back-to-back green jackets,joining Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.

It was must-watch TV, and the broadcast reeled in an average of 13.995 million viewers, making Sunday the most-watched Masters final round in 11 years,CBS Sports announced Tuesday.

That number was up 8% from last year, when McIlroy secured his career grand slam in a dramatic playoff against Justin Rose, and it’s the biggestsince the network averaged exactly 14 million viewers in 2015, when a 21-year-old Jordan Spieth led wire-to-wire at Augusta National and won his first major championship.

Sunday came with the Masters’ largest coverage peak since 2013. That year, Adam Scott emerged victorious. CBS reported a 2026 peak of 20.049 million viewers.

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Last year, for reference,viewership maxed out at 19.543 million.

In addition to McIlroy’s title defense, Sunday showcased a valiant finish by the world’s No. 1 golfer. Scottie Scheffler, who trailed McIlroy by a dozen strokes entering the weekend, rebounded to shoot -11, placing second.

Ultimately, after McIlroy bogeyed on No. 18, Scheffler was only one stroke shy of forcing a playoff.

Although the figures CBS released Tuesday are impressive, it’s important to note that Nielsenshifted to a new methodology last fallthat couples its traditional panel with “Big Data” from smart TVs and set-top boxes.

That change has benefited various sports broadcasts, often resulting in higher ratings. Nonetheless, there’s no denying the pull McIlroy has, both for golf’s most avid fans and for its more casual observers.

byAlpha World

in

April 17, 2026

As Rory McIlroy reigns, CBS averages nearly 14 million viewers during most-watched final round of Masters since 2015

Rory McIlroy blew a six-stroke lead Saturday, then fell two strokes behind early Sunday. But a day that could have fostered a historic ...

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Xi invites Putin to Beijing days after Trump visit

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping will meet next month, the Kremlin has said, as the leaders look to strengthen their relationship amid the war in Iran.

Russian sources said the meeting would be during the week of May 18, a matter of days after Donald Trump, the US president, is alsoexpected to visit Beijingfor a delayed summit with Mr Xi.

Moscow promised to boost energy supplies to China before the meeting to “compensate” for China’s energy shortages as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains choked by the Iran war.

The Trump-Xi summit is being viewed as an effort to reset US-China relations.

However, a continuing US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz risks further straining their relationship. China is heavily reliant on the strait for oil deliveries, with as much as 40 per cent of its imports coming via the waterway.

Mr Xi made his first public comments on the war on Tuesday with a thinly veiledswipe at Mr Trump, after the US navy turned back a Chinese tanker. He said that the world could not risk reverting “to the law of the jungle”.

Beijing has alsocalled the US military operation“dangerous and irresponsible”.

Wang Yi, Mr Xi’s foreign minister, called on his Pakistani counterpart to “preserve the hard-won momentum” after negotiations between the US and Iran in Islamabad broke down over the weekend without an agreement.

In recent weeks, Beijing has taken a more active role in diplomacy to make the ceasefire agreed between Iran, Israel and the US permanent.

Chinese officials are understood to have pressured their Iranian counterparts to agree to the two-week ceasefire with the Americans.

Access to the route, which carries one-fifth of the world’s energy shipments, was initially restricted by Iran but is now subject to a US blockade aimed at starving Tehran’s oil income.

Until now, China has publicly adopted a neutral stance on the war in Iran, as it carefully balances its ties with Tehran and manages any tensions with Washington.

But behind the scenes, reports indicateBeijing is helping Tehran, a close ally of Moscow, in its war with the US and Israel.

The Financial Times, citing leaked documents, said Iran secretly used a Chinese spy satellite to target US bases in the Middle East.

US intelligence also indicated that China was preparing an arms shipment to Iran.

Mr Trump said in an interview that aired on Wednesday that he had asked Mr Xi not to supply weapons to Tehran, and that Mr Xi replied saying he was not doing so.

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“I had heard that China’s giving weapons to, I mean – you’re seeing it all over the place – to Iran,” Mr Trump said in an interview with Fox Business. “And I wrote him a letter asking him not to do that, and he wrote me a letter saying that essentially he’s not doing that.”

In a post on his Truth Social platform, he added later that “China is very happy that I am permanently opening the Strait of Hormuz”. He said: “They have agreed not to send weapons to Iran,” suggesting the two are linked.

The president also confirmed he is still planning to visit next month. “President Xi will give me a big, fat hug when I get there in a few weeks,” he said. “We are working together smartly, and very well!”

The world’s two most powerful economies had been attempting to rebuild relations, with Mr Trump’s planned visit in four weeks expected to be a key moment in those efforts.

It is not certain how the US president will be received if his blockade on Iranian oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz is still ongoing.

China’s foreign minister has described it as a “targeted blockade” which “will only aggravate confrontation, escalate tension, under the already fragile cease-fire and further jeopardise safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz”.

Keeping China onside could be crucial to Mr Trump’s promise to end the war in Iran.

For decades, Beijing has acted as an important lifeline for Tehran, purchasing the bulk of its oil exports, delivering weapons and shielding the Islamic Republic from international isolation.

Mr Xi’s influence over the Iranians could be used to urge them to be more flexible in their refusal to accept American demands over their nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

But it is also seen as crucial for the US to keep Beijing from forging stronger alliances with Russia, as Mr Trumpaims to end the long-running warin Ukraine.

Relations between China and Russia have deepened in recent years, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022. Mr Xi said on Wednesday that the “stability” and “certainty” of China-Russia relations had become particularly valuable.

Western officials argue that Putin would not have been able to continue his invasion into a fifth year without economic support from China.

Instead, the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has been seized on by Russia. Its foreign minister has argued that Moscow and Beijing should work together more closely to weather any disruption to the global energy markets.

Sergey Lavrov said on Wednesday during his visit to China: “Thank God, China and Russia have every capability, including those already in use, reserve capacity and planned capacity, to avoid depending on such aggressive gambits, which undermine the global economy.

“Russia can, ⁠of course, make up for the resource shortfall facing both China and ⁠other countries that are interested in working with us on an equal and mutually beneficial basis.”

Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays.

byAlpha World

in

April 17, 2026

Xi invites Putin to Beijing days after Trump visit

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping will meet next month, the Kremlin has said, as the leaders look to strengthen their relationship amid the...

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No charges to be filed against Taylor Frankie Paul's ex-boyfriend in Utah case

Dakota Mortensen, the ex-boyfriend ofTaylor Frankie Paul, the “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star, will not be charged in relation to an allegation of domestic violence this year, the Utah city of Draper said.

In a statement, the city announced the city prosecutor's decision two days after the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Officedeclined to file charges against Paul.

"The Draper City Prosecutor reviewed the DA’s findings and, upon further review of the Draper Police case, has declined to file any charges against Taylor Frankie Paul or Dakota Mortensen related to an investigation of domestic assault claims," the city said.

Mortensen filed a complaint of domestic violence against Paul on Feb. 23, and Paul counter-claimed an assault by him.

“After a thorough investigation by Draper Police, the City Prosecutor has determined that there is insufficient corroborating evidence to support filing criminal charges against either party,” the city said in the statement.

The police department said it "would only pursue the investigation further if additional information is provided that supports the prosecution of either party.”

NBC News has reached out to representatives for Paul for comment.

Mortensen declined to comment when he was reached by phone.

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In the incident in February, a friend reported that Paul assaulted Mortensen, according to police records obtained through a Utah public records request.

Mortensen told police that Paul attacked him, grabbed his throat, scratched him and threw objects at him, according to Draper police records. Taylor told police that she told Mortensen to leave her home and he refused and that at one point Mortensen grabbed her and hit her head against the dashboard of his vehicle, according to the police documents.

Police said in the documents about the investigation that the city prosecutor “advised that neither Taylor or Dakota are credible witnesses, with both their statements being fraught with inconsistencies.”

Police referred the case to the Utah Division of Child and Family Services, because the couple’s child was home at the time, the city said in Thursday’s statement.

Allegations of domestic violence between the couple made headlines last month when a leaked video from a 2023 incident went viral. The video, posted online byTMZ,appeared to show Paulhurling a chair at Mortensen as he protested.

The couple’s on-and-off relationship was depicted in “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” which premiered in 2024.Filming for season fivewaspaused last month,sources have told NBC News.

Paul was to be the centerpiece of season 22 of ABC's “The Bachelorette,” but after the 2023 video was leaked, the networkpulled the upcoming season.

Mortensen will beedited out of the upcoming seasonof "Vanderpump Villa," a source familiar with the show confirmed to NBC News.

Draper is a city of around 50,000 in Salt Lake and Utah counties, south of Salt Lake City and in the metropolitan area.

byAlpha World

in

April 17, 2026

No charges to be filed against Taylor Frankie Paul's ex-boyfriend in Utah case

Dakota Mortensen, the ex-boyfriend ofTaylor Frankie Paul, the “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” star, will not be charged in relation to a...

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Sabres ending their NHL-record playoff drought inspires joy beyond Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — WhenTaylor Hall signedwith the Sabres several years ago, the 2018 MVP summed up a belief shared by many around the NHL by saying the league is better when Buffalo is competitive.

Hockey Sabres Drought Over

It has been a long time since that was the case.

After numerous rebuilds and coaching and front office changes, the Sabres are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2011 after snapping the NHL’slongest postseason drought at 14 years. As division champions for the first time since '07, Buffalo will open at home against Boston this weekend.

Hall’s belief in Buffalo hasn’t changed, even though his tenure there lasted just 37 games.

“If you’re a sports fan, you have a bit of a soft spot for Buffalo,” said Hall, who is now with Carolina. “It’s nice to see that they’ve done it the right way this year. They play hard. They play fast. They’ve committed to playing well on both sides of the puck, and that’s the recipe. They’re going to be a tough out."

Joy for former teammates

Hall isn’t the only ex-Sabres player to take notice and express a sense of joy over this long-awaited revival.

Casey Mittlestadt might have mixed emotions with his Bruins preparing to face the Sabres in the first round. That doesn't take away the happiness he feels for Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and leading scorer Tage Thompson, with whom he broke into the league with in 2018.

“Very happy for those guys,” said Mittelstadt, who was picked eighth by Buffalo in 2017. “I have so many friends there and am really close with the staff, spent a lot of time there. ... I would be lying if I said I don’t cheer for them a bit. Good friends, good people and I think they deserve it.”

Fellow forward Zemgus Girgensons endured the brunt of the drought spending a decade in Buffalo before signing with Tampa Bay as a free agent two years ago. Though the drought outlasted him, Girgensons is impressed by his former team's transformation.

"There’s a lot of talent on that team and they’re doing a good job so far," Girgensons said. “It’s just the process of it. You can see the guys have matured a lot. It’s just the way they play. They’ve been playing good hockey, and it’s fun to watch.”

Joy for the city of Buffalo

Defenseman Tyler Myers suited up for Buffalo's most recent playoff series in 2010 and and he shares Hall's soft spot for the city.

“It’s my first team in the NHL, (and) I had some success there early on with the group we had,” said Myers, now with Dallas. “I’m happy to see the city and the team doing well. I obviously don’t feel that way if we’re ever up against them. But they’ve had a long road. Certainly in a way, I’m happy for them.”

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Rasmus Ristolainen, whose 820 regular season games are the most of any active NHL player without a postseason appearance, is finallyin with Philadelphiaand feels a kinship with Sabres fans who have waited even longer than he has for this opportunity.

“The fans are die hard and love the team, as they do here, as well. Good for them,” he said

Buffalo native Patrick Kane is a three-time Stanley Cup champion from his time with the Blackhawks . During a recent visit with Detroit, he said he could feel the buzz of the fanbase. It reminded him a bit of football in nearby Orchard Park.

“The building gets wild,” Kane said. “You could see the crowd get into it. I kind of compare it to the Bills a little bit, too. The Bills are good, it’s good for the city. Same thing with the Sabres.”

Joy for the sport of hockey

It's not just that the Sabres got into the playoffs, it's how far they've come in a short while. Buffalo opened this season 11-14-4 before riding a 39-9-4 run to finish atop the Atlantic Division.

“I don’t know if anybody could have predicted the turnaround from last year to this year as quickly,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “It’s incredible.”

Also incredible is how winning has re-energized a fanbase. After selling out just four games in 2024-25, the Sabres have enjoyed 22 sellouts this season, including 17 in a row leading into the regular-season finale Wednesday night.

“I always knew that Buffalo was a great market, a great hockey market, and what demonstrates that is while there was frustration that built over time, it has turned around on a dime, which means the fans are back,” Bettman said. “Their enthusiasm is back. It’s like what’s happened has turned the page.”

Whyno reported from New York.

AP NHL:https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

byAlpha World

in

April 17, 2026

Sabres ending their NHL-record playoff drought inspires joy beyond Buffalo

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — WhenTaylor Hall signedwith the Sabres several years ago, the 2018 MVP summed up a belief shared by many around the...

Read More