Thunderstorms rake Midwest states

Storms packing vivid lightning and heavy rains rumbled across the U.S. midsection Thursday from Missouri to the Ohio Valley and barreled north, south and east. Lightning and thunder preceded an early morning downpour in northern Illinois, but the worst of the storm was over in time for the morning rush hour. Winds gusted at 70 mph at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport during the cloudburst. More severe weather was forecast as the front moved northeast. More than 5,000 Alliant Energy customers were without electrical power in southern Minnesota, Iowa and southern Wisconsin. Winds blew down highway signs near Richfield, Wis., and a strong thunderstorm downed trees in Cambria, N.Y. Accuweather forecasters warned of the possibility of damaging wind gusts, large hail, torrential rain and possibly tornadoes as the storms moved south and east. Dangerous storms were likely from Ohio, through Pennsylvania and New York into Southern New England Thursday afternoon and evening.