National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Unsettled Weather in the Eastern U.S. through Memorial Day

Showers and thunderstorms are expected from Texas to the Northeast through Tuesday. Heavy rain will create mainly localized areas of flash flooding across the central Gulf Coast into the Appalachians. Elevated to Critical fire weather conditions due to gusty winds and low humidity are expected through Tuesday across Oregon and Nevada. Showers and thunderstorms will develop over the Northwest. Read More >

On July 2, 1980, a derecho with widespread damaging winds of 80 to 100 mph swept across portions of southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, and western Kentucky.  The storm toppled the tower for radio station W3D in Marion, Illinois, damaged the JC Penney at University Mall in Carbondale, Illinois, leveled a shopping center in West Frankfort, Illinois that was being constructed to house the current Kroger and former Kmart stores, and left thousands of residents without power for days amidst the sweltering July heat and humidity.

Click here for a summary of the July 2, 1980 derecho, including the path of the storm and damage summary from the July 1980 edition of Storm Data.