Uploaded May 2022 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
I left Sioux Falls around 10 AM for the forecasted high wind event that later verified as a derecho. I made my way north on Interstate 29 towards Brookings before turning west on Highway 14. I stopped near Huron where I prepped a radiosonde and launched a sounding around 3 PM. As the sounding finished, the line of storms was quickly approaching the Huron area. I made my way north, then east along Highway 212. I planned on intercepting the derecho near the Interstate 29 corridor in Watertown.
When I made it to Watertown, I scoped out a couple areas where I could safely ride out the storm. I eventually settled on Stone’s Truck Stop along Highway 212 at the Interstate 29 interchange. This area was fairly open to the south allowing the mobile mesonet to obtain accurate wind measurements.
I made the decision to shelter inside the truck stop as the storm approached. Several QLCS circulations were present along the leading edge, including a confirmed tornado in Castlewood to the south of Watertown.
The mobile mesonet sampled a peak wind gust of 81 mph with a one-minute average wind speed of 60 mph as the leading edge of the derecho overtook the vehicle.
iPhone video of the derecho approaching Watertown with tornado sirens: youtu.be/UrKneW746TE
Real-time dashcam video of the derecho overtaking our mobile mesonet vehicle: youtu.be/dYyxAVRtyj4
*****
The Huron sounding data can be viewed here: twitter.com/derek605wx/status/1524858131230105600?s=21&t=TA_RcIvJmmkBFvqCscgLgg
The mobile mesonet maximum and average wind speed graph can be viewed here: twitter.com/derek605wx/status/1524893152582283264?s=21&t=TA_RcIvJmmkBFvqCscgLgg
*****
Storm Chase Area: Watertown, South Dakota
Camera Model: GoPro
My email and social media links can be found here: derek605wx.com
************************************
Copyright © 2022 Derek Thompson
************************************
I left Sioux Falls around 10 AM for the forecasted high wind event that later verified as a derecho. I made my way north on Interstate 29 towards Brookings before turning west on Highway 14. I stopped near Huron where I prepped a radiosonde and launched a sounding around 3 PM. As the sounding finished, the line of storms was quickly approaching the Huron area. I made my way north, then east along Highway 212. I planned on intercepting the derecho near the Interstate 29 corridor in Watertown.
When I made it to Watertown, I scoped out a couple areas where I could safely ride out the storm. I eventually settled on Stone’s Truck Stop along Highway 212 at the Interstate 29 interchange. This area was fairly open to the south allowing the mobile mesonet to obtain accurate wind measurements.
I made the decision to shelter inside the truck stop as the storm approached. Several QLCS circulations were present along the leading edge, including a confirmed tornado in Castlewood to the south of Watertown.
The mobile mesonet sampled a peak wind gust of 81 mph with a one-minute average wind speed of 60 mph as the leading edge of the derecho overtook the vehicle.
iPhone video of the derecho approaching Watertown with tornado sirens: youtu.be/UrKneW746TE
Real-time dashcam video of the derecho overtaking our mobile mesonet vehicle: youtu.be/dYyxAVRtyj4
*****
The Huron sounding data can be viewed here: twitter.com/derek605wx/status/1524858131230105600?s=21&t=TA_RcIvJmmkBFvqCscgLgg
The mobile mesonet maximum and average wind speed graph can be viewed here: twitter.com/derek605wx/status/1524893152582283264?s=21&t=TA_RcIvJmmkBFvqCscgLgg
*****
Storm Chase Area: Watertown, South Dakota
Camera Model: GoPro
My email and social media links can be found here: derek605wx.com
************************************
Copyright © 2022 Derek Thompson
************************************
