The Destructive and Deadly Path 'Straight Ahead'

摘要

Imagine a devastating summertime windstorm that tracks across 10 states, extending from Iowa to the Atlantic Coast, traveling this distance in a mere 18 hours. Along its path, it generates extreme wind gusts in the 70-100 mph range, felling millions of trees and snapping untold numbers of utility poles. At the end of the day, nearly 3.7 million power outages leave people sweltering in the midst of a vicious, early-summer heat wave, and 22 people have died from falling trees, windblown debris, and lightning. All told, there are over 1,100 high wind damage reports, and the NWS has issued 300 back-to-back severe thunderstorm warnings.