Friday event was microburst, National Weather Service says

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A windstorm that damaged vehicles around 7:30 p.m. Friday at Cadwell Park in Mitchell has been deemed a microburst by the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls.

Todd Temeyer, an NWS meteorologist, said a microburst is defined as a downburst of wind that covers an area of less than 2.5 miles with peak winds that last two to five minutes.

“Basically, it’s just a short duration but intense burst of wind,” Temeyer said.

Todd Heitkamp, another NWS meteorologist, said high winds associated with a severe thunderstorm warning are not uncommon.

The automated weather station at the Mitchell Regional Airport registered winds of 79 mph around 7:30 p.m. Friday, Heitkamp said.

Winds were clocked at 78 mph in Marion, and at 55 mph southwest of Oldham.

“While this line (of storms) overall did have a lot of winds, it had that burst near Mitchell that broke out windows, and that’s why we’re going to call it a microburst,” Temeyer said.

That burst created winds strong enough to pick up rocks and smash the windows of parked cars at Cadwell Park during a Class B state baseball tournament game.

The wind also snapped a tree along Lawler Street, dropping it on two vehicles.

Artesian resident Harry Everhart reported that town’s post office was damaged when high winds tore off an overhang, and two adjoining offices also were damaged.

Postmaster Brian Benz confirmed the damage and said that bricks from the falling canopy smashed the post office’s front door. There were no injuries.

“Otherwise, it’s just business as usual,” Benz said.

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