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Extreme Heat in the Southwest; Severe Weather in the Northern Plains; Heavy Rain in the East

Extreme heat continues across the Southwest as temperatures may top 120 degrees. The heat may expand across the West and south-central U.S. into the middle of the month. Severe thunderstorms capable of severe wind gusts and large hail will be the primary hazards today across the northern Plains into the upper Midwest. Rainfall could be locally heavy across the Eastern U.S. today. 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.

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