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Dec 16, 2021 - Science

In photos: Unprecedented storm leaves nearly 100 million people reeling

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Photo of a person wading through rubble

A person from the Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation works to remove a tree that collapsed on several cars after strong winds passed through the city on Dec. 15. Photo: Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Communities across the Plains and Upper Midwest were hit by a massive multi-hazard storm on Wednesday, with winds reaching 85 to 100 mph.

Why it matters: Wednesday set the U.S. record for most hurricane-force wind reports in a single day and affected nearly 100 million people.

In photos

Photo of a street sign hanging off balance in the street as people talk
Residents survey damaged buildings in Hartland, Minnesota on Dec. 15. Photo: Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Photo of a utility pole crashed onto the ground in front of a house
Following a night of high winds, a downed utility pole remains across the sidewalk in front of a home in Chicago on Dec. 16. Photo: Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Photo of firefighters removing a section from a collapsed house
Members of the Chicago Fire Department remove a section from a building that was beginning to dangle over a sidewalk on Dec. 15 in Chicago. Photo: Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
Photo of people holding up a collapsed garage door
Residents hold up a falling garage door in Hartland, Minnesota on Dec. 15. Photo: Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Photo of an RV lying on its side
An RV is flipped on its side on Dec. 16 in Hartland, Minnesota. Photo: AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa
Photo of a damaged house with branches strewn across the lawn
A damaged house on Dec. 16 in Hartland, Minnesota. Photo: AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa
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