Damaging winds, possible tornadoes reported in Chicago area, neighboring regions

Multiple tornadoes were reported in the Midwest late Monday as a powerful storm fed off heat and humidity, providing a devastating blow to residents of multiple states.

According to the National Weather Service, there were hundreds of wind damage reports on Monday, with a stretch from Iowa, Illinois and Indiana experiencing the worst damage. The agency said power flashes were visible near both O'Hare and Midway airports in the Chicago area late Monday, an indication of either a tornado or extremely gusty winds.

The National Weather Service reported a 75 mph wind gust late Monday at O'Hare. Numerous social media posts showed planes swaying at the airports.

As of early Tuesday morning, over 228,000 ComEd customers were without power in northern Illinois.

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WLS-TV reported that there was widespread damage in and around Chicago, with tree limbs down throughout the area. The National Weather Service fielded dozens of reports of trees being uprooted and shingles being blown off residences.

As the storms moved out of Chicago and into Indiana, tornado warnings were issued for northern Indiana. One fatality was reported in Cedar Lake, Indiana, as Lake County Emergency Management reported that a tree fell on a residence.

There were also dozens of wind damage reports in Pennsylvania and New York on Monday.

Strong storms could erupt in a line from New England to eastern Colorado as a front ushers in a reprieve from the extreme heat that has dominated much of the U.S. in recent weeks.

For instance, Chicago, which had high temperatures in the 90s on Monday, is expected to have a high temperature in the low 70s later this week.