STORM2K

There's one heck of a cut-off low spinning over South Dakota right now, whipping up some terrific winds in northern Nebraska:

WEATHER SUMMARY FOR WESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTH PLATTE NE
904 AM CDT WED APR 19 2006

A STRONG LOW PRESSURE CENTER CONTINUES TO MOVE SLOWLY EASTWARD
CREATING GALE TO HURRICANE FORCE WINDS IN PORTIONS OF THE REGION.
GUSTS OF OVER 80 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE RUSHVILLE AREA CAUSING
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO BUILDINGS AND KNOCKING DOWN POWER LINES. THE
STRONGEST WINDS APPEAR TO BE IN THE NORTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE
REGION BUT THE ENTIRE REGION IS UNDER THE GUN.

0733 AM NON-TSTM WND GST CHADRON 42.83N 103.00W
04/19/2006 M76 MPH DAWES NE LAW ENFORCEMENT

DAMAGE IN THE CITY OF CHADRON INCLUDES TREES AND POWER
POLES BLOWN DOWN AND THE FRONT TAKEN OFF OF SEVERAL
BUILDINGS.
HIGHWAY 20
NEAR RUSHVILLE SHERIDAN......... 84 MPH (655 AM MDT)


The sat loop looks very, very cool right now:

http://weather.cod.edu/analysis/loops/satrgnlloop.master.pl?northcentral&type=ir

that satellite loop rocks!

wow. Looks like they are getting a situation similar to what a strong TS would bring! 80mph+ gusts are quite intense.

That is a powerhouse storm going on there

4 people dead...power out until Friday in some areas in the region...http://www.cnn.com/2006/WEATHE ... index.html

wow looks very much like a hurricane why isnt it? is it extratropical? if it rolls off the east coast could it become tropical?

Wasn't there a similar type of storm over land once ago?

fact789 wrote:wow looks very much like a hurricane why isnt it? is it extratropical? if it rolls off the east coast could it become tropical?

No. Shoot... it's already above 45°N...

fact789 wrote:wow looks very much like a hurricane why isnt it? is it extratropical? if it rolls off the east coast could it become tropical?

It can not be a hurricane because of a few factors:

-It is not a true-tropical system (no start in the tropics)
-There have been no reports of sustained hurricane force winds (just gusts)
-It is over land

Also, if it rolled off the east coast it would never become a hurricane because:

-The waters off the east coast are not warm enough
-This system has no warm-core tropical roots
- This, climatologically, is not a good time of year for hurricane development.

Could it become a subtropical storm? May be...but I doubt it. Either way though: it is a potentially dangerous low pressure area, and many in it's path will see gusts in the 40-50mph range (with a few stronger areas of wind over the northern plains and the great lakes). This is certainly an interesting occurrence though none the less..and something I will be watching for sure!

Also, here is an update for current winds associated with this storm:

North platte, NE: 25mph gusts
Valentine, NE: 28mph gusts
Butte, NE: 24mph gusts
Lake Andes, SD: 25mph gusts

**Looks like the area of wind has really calmed down after sunset!<<Another reason this is not a hurricane.**