PIERRE, SD — A powerful storm system swept across parts of the Upper Midwest on Monday, producing a 131-mph wind gust in South Dakota and leaving a trail of damage across several states. Officials said the storm knocked out power in parts of Highmore and caused heavy destruction near where the strongest gust was measured.
Damage Across Small Towns
Drone video from Highmore showed roofs torn from homes, along with damaged outbuildings, warehouses, garages and grain silos. The Hyde County Sheriff’s Office said the storm caused significant damage in the area.
The 131-mph reading was recorded in Holabird and is the second-strongest wind gust in South Dakota since record-keeping began in 2003, according to revised NOAA data.
Storm Path And Strength
Weather officials said the storm was a long-lived supercell that traveled about 590 miles, starting in northern Nebraska before moving through South Dakota and Minnesota. The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center said it may qualify as one of the 15 strongest thunderstorm-produced gusts ever recorded in the United States.
SPC warning coordinator Evan Bentley described it as a “mini-derecho,” meaning it had the destructive wind pattern of a derecho but did not meet the full width requirement.
Warnings And Tornado
The storm also produced a confirmed tornado in Marshall County, South Dakota. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued across South Dakota, North Dakota and parts of Minnesota as the weather system moved through.
The Storm Prediction Center raised Monday’s severe weather outlook to Level 3 out of 5 for parts of the Upper Midwest because of the storm’s intensity.
What Weather Follows
The severe weather came after storms hit the Dakotas, Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana over the weekend. Forecasters also said a heat dome is building over much of the central and eastern United States, which could push temperatures well into the 90s later this week.
As storms ride around the edge of that heat dome, parts of the Upper Midwest could face a low-end flash flood threat through Thursday if repeated downpours hit the same areas.
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