SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — What kind of damage can 80 mph wind gusts do?
The city of Winner has plenty of evidence of the power of those wind speeds from Monday’s storm in that town. An 80 mph wind gust produces enough force to push a board through a building, said KELOLAND meteorologist Scot Mundt.
The storms that could pass through eastern South Dakota on Wednesday have the potential for wind gusts of 80 mph or more, two-inch size hail and heavy rains, Mundt said.
An 80 mph wind gust is the wind of a “category 1 hurricane,” Mundt said. “74 is the mininum for a category 1.”
Misti Burns, a resident of Winner and the city’s library director said on Tuesday that the damage caused by the storm had people wondering if the storm included a tornado.
That would be logical question, since 80 mph wind carries a big punch.
“When we talk about destructive winds, this is like a small tornado on the EF scale, EF1 to EF zero,” Mundt said. “You can see the damage of a small tornado with these destructive winds.”
Damage can be severe and extensive, according to the National Weather Service. Wind speeds of 65 mph to 80 mph can cause roof damge to homes, the NWS said. Barns and outbuildings can be damaged as roof panels can be removed or walls can collapse. According to the NWS, RVs can be overturned and vehicles can be pushed off roads. Trees can be uprooted or split and windows can break.
“Even anchored mobile homes can be seriously damaged when winds gust over 80 mph,” NOAA said in a wind damage chart.
When the National Weather Service issues a severe thunderstorm warning, it can be labeled as a destructive severe thunderstorm warning because of the 80 mph wind gusts and more, Mundt said.
Such warnings account for about 5% of all severe thunderstorm warnings for the KELOLAND region, he said.
Wednesday’s weather has several factors that will contribute to high wind gusts, Mundt said.
It’s been very humid recently. When a dry intrusion of air in the higher layer enters the upper layers of atmosphere along with rain to cool the air, the air rushes the ground, Mundt said. That helps create wind gusts of 80 mph or more.
Stay up-to-date with Wednesday’s weather with the KELOLAND Storm Tracker app, the KELOLAND website and all of our daily news broadcasts.
