07-27-2010

Weather Service Expert Asses Storm Damage in Rock County

A National Weather Service expert was assessing the damage done by Friday's severe weather. A farmhouse was destroyed and some livestock killed near Hardwick in Rock County Meterologist Todd Heitkamp from the National Weather Service Office in Sioux Falls toured the area yesterday. "I don't see any indication of any type of tornadic damage in the area," said Heitkamp. "I defininetly see indications of damage from straight line winds." The storms moved through Friday night in southwestern Minnesota. He says there was some big damage in the area. "There is some enhanced damage around the Schmidt and some other area farms, but nothing that to me would indicate a tornado," said Heitkamp. Heitkamp says wind speeds reached 60 to 80 miles per hour.