Radar Capture of the storm at 11:32PM July 11th

Area storm report.

A Strong to severe line of thunderstorms which started in North Dakota pushed across the Upper Midwest, then through the area around 11:30pm last night well ahead of a cold front that was moving through the region. A Radar capture can be seen above taken at 11:32PM last night. The storms did not cause area wide damage, but it did cause a few issues, even some big problems for some parts of the area, as they brought strong winds, heavy rain and frequent lightning. The biggest problem with the storms was strong gusty, and in some cases wind that was strong enough to take down trees and large tree limbs. Damage from this line is mainly isolated to a few scatted areas, with the area having the most areal coverage of damage being Dunn County around Memomonie, Eau Galled and Boyceville. Winds up to 74MPH was recorded in Eau Galle with this storm. My uncle who drove through the area mentioned how much of the corn was flatted near Menomonie, There was also other areas of more spotty damaging including a fair amount of damage around my location in Clayton, I also saw large branches down New Richmond, and a friend reported large branches as well down in Turtle Lake. Both the NWS New Richmond Station, and Amery Unofficial Station recorded a 47MPH wind gust.

Clayton & My location storm damage

Video of the storm July 10th 2011

This storm ended out being fairly significant locally. It took down many large branches and trees around town, and it brought the highest wind gust from a thunderstorm my station has ever recorded. The wind hit ahead of the heaviest rain, and hit with a force. It was not like July 1st storms, instead last nights storm brought quick short, but very strong gusts from almost the strait north. I remember suddenly hearing wind and rain hitting strong against windows on the north side of our home, and glancing at my small tree on the north side whipping fairly constant. My wind gauge, which has a few obstacles near it recorded a 41MPH wind gust, which will be written down as the highest thunderstorm wind gust at my station.

Pine branches down at my yard, with yard stick for measurement.

My yard had some minor damage as well, there were lots of small to mid sized branches down and leaves spread across the yard, some of these branches were large enough to where I could not go over them with the lawn mower. The largest was 1 inch in diameter, pictured above.

Tree down in front of my aunts house 1 mile south of Clayton.

Damage around the immediate Clayton area was fairly widespread, especially Western parts and southern parts of the village limits. I saw more then 1 yard around in town that has some sort of tree damage, but the most damage was centered around my aunts home 1 mile south of town, one tree I did not take a picture of that was near the gas station lost most of it’s top but the section of tree did not fall to the ground.
Large mature oak tree toppled in my Aunt & Uncles cow yard.

This was the largest tree that I saw down, this tree was uprooted, and was found downwind of the damage pictures below and above. This tree fairly healthy, despite a few which may have been partly the cause of why it fell. Still it was full of green leaves.

Large branch hanging in a power line at my aunts yard.

My aunt & Uncles has been very un lucky this year. This is the 3rd time this year storm damage has brought me over to their farm, But this storm was particularly damaging in their yard. This branch above broke off the tree near their driveway and fell into the powerlines, I luckily noticed this for them just in time for it to start smoking, My uncle later called the power company and it was removed. My uncle told me Barron Electric mentioned to him while he was on the phone that they had a lot of reports of branches in powerlines in there area which serves much of Barron County, The reason why this storm may have been so damaging at my aunts yard is their house is very open along the North side, and is downwind of the damage near the gas station.

Second Large branch down at my aunt & uncles yard off a different tree

Damage Reports & along with highest wind gusts.

Amery, 47MPH gust

Clayton, Multiple large branches and trees down along with large mature oak, one branch fell into power lines.

Clayton, 41MPH gust

Turtle Lake, 3 inch diameter branch down.

New Richmond, 47MPH gust

New Richmond, 5 inch diameter branch downed at WITC

Eau Galle, 74MPH

3 miles N Menomonie, 8 inch diameter branch fallen into powerlines

1 mile N Menomonie, 3 inch diameter tree fallen into the road

3 miles E Boyceville, pick up trailer hauling canoes was rolled over

Menomonie, Tree topped into city street.