Devastating Derecho Sweeps Through Northern Plains and Midwest

Listeners, this week brought another intense and dangerous derecho event across parts of the northern Plains and Midwest. Late Monday and into Tuesday morning, explosive lines of thunderstorms unleashed widespread, long-lived, and destructive winds, with gusts exceeding 75 miles per hour. Forecasters at NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center had warned that this storm system would sweep through the Dakotas into Minnesota, targeting cities like Aberdeen, Watertown, and Brookings in South Dakota, and Marshall, Minnesota, with a particularly high risk for severe weather.

FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan explained that these straight-line wind events, known as derechos, can cause destruction similar to tornadoes, but over a much larger area, making them especially dangerous. These recent storms were driven by a strong cold front barreling southeast, setting off severe thunderstorms across the region. According to an AOL News report, the storm left a trail of downed trees, power outages, and widespread structural damage as it marched east overnight.

In southeastern South Dakota, winds were some of the strongest ever recorded for this type of event. Tri-State Livestock News described gusts soaring to 120 miles per hour, which toppled buildings, splintered trees, and left a swath of communities with significant cleanup challenges. Watertown, in particular, experienced both tornado and derecho impacts within the same 24-hour period, causing further destruction, including at least one building completely destroyed by a tornado before the straight-line winds roared through.

The severe weather didn’t stop in South Dakota. As the system moved east, overnight storms powered through into Wisconsin and northern Illinois, maintaining their intensity and continuing to pose threats of damaging winds, hail, and isolated tornadoes.

Meteorologists emphasized the importance of taking all severe thunderstorm warnings seriously. Straight-line wind gusts in derechos not only flatten crops and uproot large trees, but they can also peel away roofs, send debris flying, and bring down power lines, sometimes over hundreds of miles.

With severe weather season still underway, forecasters continue to urge vigilance across the Midwest and Plains. Listeners should stay alert for watches and warnings, particularly when atmospheric setups favor these rare but very destructive wind storms.

Thank you for tuning in. Come back next week for more important weather updates and natural disaster coverage. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out QuietPlease.ai.

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