Severe storms threaten Great Lakes, Northeast with 85 mph winds

2 min readUpdated August 2, 2026

A storm system moving east from the Great Lakes is expected to bring damaging wind gusts, hail, and heavy rain across a wide stretch of the northern U.S. through mid-week, with wind speeds potentially reaching 85 miles per hour, according to USA Today.

AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham told USA Today that heavy rain and "wide swaths of damaging wind gusts" would accompany the system as it pushes into the Great Lakes region, describing it as a widespread barrage of storms. Over the weekend, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, bore the brunt of the system's southern edge, where wind gusts topped 90 mph and winds hit 80 mph, leaving thousands of residents without electricity.

JPMorgan Chase is pledging $750 billion to boost U.S. housing supply and homeownership

Pittsburgh and surrounding areas face their own threat early in the week, with damaging winds and heavy rain possible July 27, according to USA Today's Pittsburgh coverage. According to the Pittsburgh National Weather Service office, afternoon thunderstorm development was possible, concentrated mainly in northwest Pennsylvania, while an evening increase in damaging wind risk was tied to a larger thunderstorm cluster expected to form over Eastern Ohio. Heavy rain and localized flooding remain possible into July 28.

Identifying exactly where the greatest danger will materialize is a challenge that often cannot be resolved until shortly before storm formation, Buckingham told USA Today, because prior thunderstorm activity in an area shapes where new storms take hold.

Update, August 2, 2026: New Jersey faces a flash flooding threat Sunday night into Monday, with rainfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour possible in parts of the state. (per Nj)

Storm system bearing down on Great Lakes and Northeast may pack winds of 85 mph

Related Content

Related Content