On June 12th 2013, a rare ‘derecho’ storm was predicted in the DeKalb County area and it lived up to it’s name. A derecho weather pattern can spawn sudden windstorms with gusts of around 100 mph. Although a derecho can produce destruction similar to that of tornadoes, the damage typically is directed in one direction along a relatively straight swath. As a result, the term “straight-line wind damage” sometimes is used to describe derecho damage.
Just after 2pm Wednesday a tornado watch was issued. Skies were ominous and TV reports started announcing a small tornado which developed near Paw Paw, IL. Storm Chaser Dan Robinson was there to get some footage of the tornado and several gustnadoes as they happened out in a large open area.
Immediately following the storm the local police scanner was alive with reports of trees and power lines down from Rt. 34 in Southern DeKalb County to Rt. 72 in Northern DeKalb County. Power was out to many residents. An area just South of Shabbona Lake State Park seemed to have gotten quite a bit of ‘straight line damage’ as indicated by a derecho.
Below are pictures taken by the folks at Shabbona Lake State Park of boats, power lines and trees down there.
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