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Severe Weather and Heavy Rainfall in the Midwest and Desert Southwest; Mid-Summer Heat Continues

Severe thunderstorm and heavy rainfall are possible in the Midwest into the Central Appalachians and the Desert Southwest early this week. Storms are also expected in parts of the northern Plains today. Fire weather and air quality concerns will persist across portions of the West. Mid-summer heat will continue across much of the CONUS this week, especially in the the south-central High Plains. Read More >

Overview

During the evening of July 13, 2024, a cluster of supercells moving southeastward out of Montana merged into a line of significantly severe thunderstorms that brought destructive winds to much of western and central South Dakota. Widespread measured wind gusts of 80 mph or greater were recorded from near the Montana/South Dakota state line eastward to near the Missouri River, with the highest gusts of over 100 mph observed in Butte County.

The Storm Prediction Center classified this line of storms as a "derecho", a term reserved for especially widespread, long-lived, and significant wind storms.

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Wind damage from 7 miles west of Redig, SD
(courtesy Ashley Secrest)
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