2020-08-10 NE/IA/IL/WI/IN/MI: EVENT

[Dean Baron]

The NWS- Quad Cities has released new storm damage data for the derecho on 8/10/20. The new data suggests winds may have reached 140 mph based on damage to an apartment building near Cedar Rapids, IA. New storm reports have been added to the SPC storm reports for a recorded wind gust of 126 mph in Atkins, IA. A 340 foot tall antenna which was rated to withstand winds of 125 mph was also toppled near Van Horne, IA.

Here is a link to the news story about this new storm data.

Here is a link to pictures of the damaged apartment building mentioned above.

I don't think any of us can picture a squall line producing winds of 140 mph. I've never heard of one coming anywhere close to that strength. To me this begs this question, was this the most powerful MCS/derecho on record?

 

[Ethan Schisler]

Yesterday it was noted that there was a 400 foot communications tower downed in Clinton County where I was chasing last Monday, which was done by a wind gust close to 130 mph. I've spoke to several friends from DVN and they have told me this is the most intense derecho they have EVER seen or heard of. It basically produced a near continuous swath of 100+ mph winds (with areas of 120-140 mph) from Story County, IA east to the Mississippi River near Clinton County Iowa (over 130 miles long and perhaps even longer).

Edit: My apologies for posting in the report thread, thought it was the event thread, oops!

 

[Mark Egan]

Facts About Derechos - Very Damaging Windstorms

www.spc.noaa.gov

I skimmed the summaries, so I may have missed something

May 31, 1994 had a 140 mph gust in Utah

Several derechos with max gusts between 125-135

Several others with winds estimated between 112-157 mph but I think that may have just been damage surveys that happened to find damage similar to EF-2 tornado wind strength

IMO this deserves its own topic

 

[Matt Zumbrunn]

There was one here in the early 90s that folks talk about. The folks that have lived here their whole life say the anemometer located on a COE dam recorded 110 before it was destroyed. I remember our house was vibrating. I was young but this one fits the timeline. It may have been this event Info on the June 19th 1990 Inland Hurricane

 

[John Farley]

Here is a link to the NWS Quad Cities Web page on the storm. If you have a half hour, watch the video on the opening page. Truly like a hurricane eyewall.

Midwest Derecho - August 10, 2020, Updated: 10/8/20 12 pm

www.weather.gov