Insane maybe, but not unexpected.
130 mph winds would be a Cat 4 Hurricane, FYI.
THIS IS INSANE! 130 MPH winds destroyed windmills in South Dakota this morning. This is very rare. We hardly ever see windmills take this much damage from straight-line damaging winds. But when you push over 110 MPH winds, it becomes a lot easier for the windmills to crumble. Photos via Storm Chaser Jakob McMillin
More reports of widespread damage from tornado-force straight line winds below.
A devastating windstorm ripped through central South Dakota on the morning of June 29.
According to the South Dakota State University Mesonet, at 6:25 a.m. Monday, wind gusts were reported at 131 miles per hour, with the wind speed at 76 miles per hour. Rainfall totaled 1.64 inches.
Videos of the aftermath in Highmore show extensive damage to the community. Destroyed buildings and grain bins and standing water could be seen throughout a large section of the town following the storm.
UPDATE:
WIDESPREAD EF2 tornado-equivalent damage in central South Dakota after a DERECHO on Monday morning brought 110-140 mph wind straight-line gusts. Some low-end EF3 damage happened.
Amanda Brown shared these photos with us – we’re so glad she’s alright!
The 131 mph wind gust recorded in Highmore in Hyde County is the strongest straight-line thunderstorm gust recorded nationwide in 43 YEARS!
On August 1, 1983, a microburst hit Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and there just happened to be an anemometer there. A gust to 149.5 mph was clocked.
Monday’s event was WAY more widespread – picture a 30 mile-wide tornado. That’s what this derecho did.
It began in extreme northwest Nebraska around 2-3 a.m. Central Time, and reached peak strength over central South Dakota around 6-7 a.m.
Derechoes of this strength only hit the United States once every 5-10 years on average. They are very difficult to predict, and this was poorly-anticipated.
The last high-end derecho like this occurred on August 10, 2020, and brought 130-140 mph winds to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
It is unclear if Monday’s storm will be technically classified as a derecho. While the winds were surely sufficient, a derecho must produce a damage path about 250 miles long. Moreover, historical definitions required a wind swath 60 miles wide.
While the storm began as a supercell and evolved into a narrow “bow echo”, it eventually widened. The Storm Prediction Center will have the final say.
It also moved forward at speeds of 60+ mph.
The storm complex feasted off 6,000+ units of storm fuel. Only 1,500-2,000 are typically needed to get robust severe storms. This was an EXPLOSIVE environment!
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Image below from Max Velocity, who added:
HOLY CRAP! A storm in South Dakota is producing winds up to 131 miles per hour. That is nearly the equivalent of an EF3 tornado (136mph) That is absolutely ridiculous.
This also includes lemon sized hail, which will produce devastating property and crop damage at wind speeds like this. If you know anyone in the path of this, tell them to stay weather aware. The storm is just southwest of Aberdeen, South Dakota.
AI overview from Gemini:
A hurricane with 131 mph winds is a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. [1]
Category 4 storms (which span 130 to 156 mph winds) are considered “major” hurricanes and are highly dangerous. According to the National Hurricane Center, here is how the scale breaks down: [1]
- Category 1: 74–95 mph
- Category 2: 96–110 mph
- Category 3: 111–129 mph
- Category 4: 130–156 mph
- Category 5: 157 mph and higher [1, 2, 3]
A Category 4 storm is classified as capable of producing “catastrophic damage.” The National Weather Service states that at these wind speeds, well-built homes can suffer severe damage or loss of roof structures, while most trees will be snapped or uprooted
Headline: Chinese Hoax Tears Walls Off Homes
This truly is insane! The damage head-shaking…
Here in northwestern Arizona, we’ve been hit by terrible winds since March … high winds are typical in the spring but not continuously, as they have been this year. Its unnatural. Then I speak with other people across the country, and many spots are, too, having high winds, which are abnormal. Given this, I’m thinking this stuff is the result of geo-engineering. Just sayin’.
Might be good to see what Dane has to say about these conditions, at geoengineeringwatch.org
Don’t engineers typically plan for “hundred year” winds? These winds were only 45 year winds. How stupid are these people?!
Hmmm never thought this could happen…Greta Thurnburg the Palestinian terrorism advocate
Fully renewable, LMFAO.
May we suppose this is still better than contending with an ice age? Or is that changing denial?
The transition to a glacial age would be much, much slower than the rate that we are heading in the opposite direction.