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Back-to-Back Pacific Storms to Impact the West Coast; Heavy Snow in the Central Appalachians

Back-to-back powerful Pacific storm systems to impact the Pacific Northwest and northern California through the end of this week with heavy rain, flooding, strong winds, and higher elevation mountain snow. A strong, long-duration atmospheric river will accompany the Pacific storms, bringing excessive rainfall and flash flooding to southwest Oregon and northwest California through the week. Read More >

Overview

Conditions were favorable for severe thunderstorms during the afternoon of June 1st, 2018, as a warm and very unstable air mass over South Dakota interacted with a cold front. An area of low pressure in northwest South Dakota that morning moved northeast into central North Dakota, dragging a cold front east across South Dakota. Thunderstorms developed ahead of the front and to the west of the Missouri River, producing strong winds and very large hail. There were several reports of hail larger than golf balls around Timber Lake and between 1-1.5” hail in eastern Corson County. As the storms moved east, additional smaller reports of hail were reported in Walworth County, along with a brief tornado near Glenham.

Leading up to the event, conditions were warm and generally dry in the James River Valley during May. Those conditions combined with strong winds from decaying thunderstorms in south central South Dakota to produce a dust storm. South winds of 50 to 80 mph kicked up a significant amount of dirt/dust as the winds moved north, leading to visibilities being reduced to below ¼ mile in many locations. The reduced visibilities caused a few traffic incidents and the winds knocked down trees, tree branches, and powerlines.

Surface Map from 7am June 1 to 7am June 2, 2018
Surface Map from 7am June 1 to 7am June 2, 2018

Radar loop of strong to severe thunderstorms June 1st, 2018Radar loop of strong to severe thunderstorms June 1st, 2018
Radar loop of strong to severe thunderstorms June 1st, 2018 (left) and two areas of dust being lofted by strong winds as seen on radar, moving north and also east, around 8:30 pm (right).

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