Union County Thunderstorm Wind Damage - May 23, 2006

...STRAIGHT LINE WINDS OF 80 MPH CAUSED DAMAGE TO UNION COUNTY FARM...
MAY 23, 2006

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONDUCTED A STORM SURVEY OF DAMAGE TO A FARMSTEAD IN NORTHERN UNION COUNTY. THE FARM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHEAST OF BERESFORD. SEVERAL BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED ON THE FARM FROM STRONG STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. WINDS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE 75 TO 80 MPH AS THEY MOVED THROUGH THE AREA. THESE WINDS WERE ASSOCIATED WITH OUTFLOW FROM A SQUALL LINE THAT MOVED ACROSS UNION COUNTY AROUND 830 PM CDT. TWO OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED AND A THIRD BUILDING LOST A ROOF WHICH WAS BLOWN INTO A SHELTER BELT ACROSS THE ROAD. A FOURTH BUILDING HAD ROOF DAMAGE WITH SEVERAL BEAMS CRACKED AS WINDS ATTEMPTED TO LIFT THE ROOF FROM THE BUILDING. DEBRIS FROM THE DESTROYED BUILDING EXTENDED APPROXIMATELY ONE QUARTER MILE TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE FARMSTEAD. IN ADDITION...SEVERAL 4 TO 8 INCH DIAMETER BRANCHES WERE BROKEN OFF OF TREES. APPROXIMATELY THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE NORTHEAST OF THE FARMSTEAD...A 12 INCH DIAMETER TREE WAS KNOCKED DOWN AND LAID HALF WAY ACROSS A ROAD.

AT 826 PM CDT...THE UNION COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTED A TORNADO JUST EAST OF EXIT 38 ON INTERSTATE 29. THIS WAS A GUSTNADO WHICH DEVELOPS ALONG THE OUTFLOW OF THUNDERSTORMS AND HAVE A BRIEF DURATION. NO DAMAGE WAS FOUND WITH THIS TORNADO.

Radar image at the time damage occurred to farm buildings.
Radar imagery at the time straight-line wind damage occurred at a farm in Union County, SD on May 23, 2006.

Photos of damage caused by straight-line winds in Union County, SD on May 23, 2006: