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Heavy Rain From the Central Plains to the Mid-Atlantic; Heat Wave Begins This Weekend

Strong to severe thunderstorms and heavy rain will impact portions of the central Plains into the Upper Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic through the weekend. A stretch of unusually hot and humid weather is expected across portions of the central U.S. and the Southeast beginning this weekend and continuing through next week. The heat may reach dangerous levels, particularly mid to late next week. Read More >

Overview

A low pressure system and attached cold front triggered storms in a ripe environment across southern North Dakota during the mid-afternoon, and these storms quickly became strong to severe. Through the remainder of the afternoon and evening, these storms maintained their strong to severe intensity and even became destructive in some areas as they drifted southeast across the border into South Dakota. Extensive crop and property damage resulted from up to 80 mph wind gusts and/or large hail to baseball sized plus across portions of Corson, Dewey, Walworth, Potter, Sully, Hughes and Lyman Counties. Two rounds of severe storms about an hour apart affected those roughly from Blunt to Lower Brule to Iona.

As storms continued south of the NWS Aberdeen forecast area into Gregory county in south central South Dakota, a tornado rapidly developed in the town of Burke.  This EF-1 tornado produced significant damage to portions of the city center. For more information, visit this summary page from NWS Sioux Falls. 

2.3" Hail one mile west of Blunt, SD (Credit Derek Thompson)
2.3" Hail one mile west of Blunt, SD (Credit Derek Thompson)
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