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Heat Persists in the South Central U.S. and Southwest; Heavy rains in the Desert Southwest and Central Plains

Sweltering heat remains across the South-Central Plains, Lower/Middle Mississippi Valley, and the Southwest this week with limited nighttime relief. Thunderstorms will bring heavy rainfall leading to localized flash flooding in portions of the Desert Southwest and central Plains. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across portions of the central Plains into the Northeast. Read More >

Overview

A derecho (long-lived line of thunderstorms with intense winds) produce widespread wind damage across Iowa, northern Illinois, and northern Indiana on August 10, 2020. Many areas had hurricane-force wind speeds in excess of 75 mph, including some 100-115 mph wind gusts in eastern Iowa. Eleven tornadoes also occurred across northern Illinois. Between the winds and the tornadoes, a widespread region of the Midwest saw extensive damage to trees, power lines, buildings, and vehicles. 

Event summaries from elsewhere along the track can be found at the following links:

Radar progression of the derecho. Image courtesy NWS Chicago
Radar progression of the derecho between 8 am and 7 pm CDT.
Image courtesy NWS Chicago.
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