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Will US see ‘ring of fire’ amid tornado, derecho, thunderstorms in Minnesota and Dakotas? Here's what we know
Severe storms in the Midwest and Northeast have caused at least three deaths in North Dakota. The fatalities occurred on June 20 in rural Enderlin.
US forecasters have warned that the storm system is moving eastward over areas of the Midwest and Northeast, and that at least three people have died in North Dakota during a bout of extreme weather that included several tornado sightings.
According to the Cass County Sheriff's Office, the three were killed on June 20 in rural Enderlin, North Dakota, which is located in the state's southeast.
Around 11:40 pm, deputies arrivedto a residence after they receivedreports of tornado damage. They fie department told them that thestorm chasers haveinformed them that they have foundtwo bodies. According to the sheriff's office, a third victimwas found deadat another site.
On June 20, strong storms with high winds, hail, and many suspected tornadoes blasted over portions of Minnesota and the Dakotas. A wind gust of 101 mph was reported at the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network station northwest of Linton, as per the Bismarck, North Dakota, National Weather Service.
Initial reports submitted to the Storm Prediction Center indicated that hail measuring more than 3.5 inches in diameter and tornadoes damaged houses. Strong winds reportedly damaged power lines and trees.
On the morning of June 21, USA TODAY's power outage tracker reported that over 75,000 individuals in North Dakota and Minnesota were without power.
Severe weatherexpected to travel east over the weekend
According to the National Weather Service, the same storm system that began in North Dakota is predicted to proceed eastward across the Great Lakes area throughout the day on June 21 and enter New York and New England at night.
The storms may bring hail, powerful wind gusts, and isolated flash floods.
Will extreme US weather cause ring of fire?
The storms occur as the meteorological service warns of a “significant and extremely dangerous heat wave” that will continue into next week throughout parts of the country. Clusters of thunderstorms that are predicted to develop on the hot air dome's perimeter will provide a “ring of fire” effect, AccuWeather reported, adding thatthunderstorms typically occur on a heat dome's margins since high pressure is lowest there.
A derecho, a destructive wind event that stretches hundreds of miles, might develop from the storm system, as perAccuWeather. Derecho is also known as“inland hurricane.”
Dangerous heat across US
Meanwhile, over150 million Americans were in the midst of hazardous heat advisories or warnings in much of the country's eastern half.
The meteorological agency predicts that on June 21, temperatures in portions of more than two dozen states will reach or surpass 90 degrees.
In certain areas of Kansas, Nebraska, and southern Minnesota, triple digits are anticipated. Significant East Coast cities, such as New York and Washington, D.C., are predicted to experience temperatures above 90 degrees for five to seven days in a row as the heat wave continues eastward for many days.
