Carbondale Derecho Storm - 5/8/09

This video includes a 100ft. tree falling on our house and car at 5:00.

I started filming this storm about 30 minutes before the straight-line winds arrived. One of the really old trees in our yard (about 50ft) was ripped straight out of the ground and came falling to the earth, crushing part of our porch and what was an automobile in our driveway.

The squall line that moved through is what meteorologists call a "derecho". Derecho is a term applied to a uniquely long lived and damaging line of thunderstorms. They carry straight-line winds and aren't not very common. This one was carrying winds upwards of 100+ mph. Although the radar didn't show the classic profile of a derecho, the winds we're consistent in terms of similarity.

I apologize for the excessive profanity by my friends and I.

Here is a public link a facebook group that contains over 200 images of the storm's aftermath:
http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=76656117676&view=all

here is some more information:
- http://www.wsiltv.com/p/news_details.php?newsID=7440&type=top

- http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/76A4034A...

- http://www.thesouthern.com/articles/2009/05/10/local/doc4a064785dbdb693080266...

Location: Carbondale, IL

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• siu
• cabondale
• storm
• il
• derecho
• tornado
• inland
• hurricane
• siuc
• 2009

[NoOtherLikeMe7]

That's my birthday!

[twohlrab3]

you're quite the prodigy to be surfing youtube and typing at only 2 months old!

[OzzzMan1337]

I was good friends with the next door neighbor of this house. A tree fell right in to one of the rooms in the house right where one of the kids were sitting, before the tree left everyone was alright about the house was destroyed.

[twohlrab3]

yes steve was lucky not to be in his room at the time or he might not have been here today. the tree that fell on his room might have been the biggest in carbondale. The base of it was about 8ft wide.

[pericolace]

Well, I was in Salem, MO (Dent County), when that Derecho hit us, at 10:45am....and I have never been that scared and had never heard of a 'Derecho' before that day. I thought a tornado was coming right through the parking lot of the Walmart I was in, and that the roof would collapse any moment. I hope I never experience that ever again. Fools who have 'Hurricane Parties' have no concept of real danger.

[twohlrab3]

I'm glad you are ok. Indeed this was a bit shocking, definitely the most intense storm I've ever filmed. However, it's not like 100+ year old tree fall down every storm in Carbondale. In fact, I doubt Carbondale has seen a storm this strong in the past 50 years. I agree hurricane parties are stupid, and for the ignorant. People who do not understand weather have no right to mock mother nature. I would love to see a weather event as rare as that one again, however it's not very likely

[bonnaroojoo]

Finally someone got this right and NOT calling it an "inland hurricane"

[Kdooom]

man carbondale is fucked up i'm in st.louis now

[guitarest452452]

You act like me and my friends lol

[hoppeydoppey321]

O my gosh I remember that day I was in murphysboro at school I was in second grade crying my eyes out I thought I was gonna die. But now I'm in 5th grade

[Catergory5Hurricane]

According to the National Weather Service, over 53% of ALL deaths from straight-line wind events are attributed to falling trees. All I can say: STRAIGHT-LINE WINDSTORM! Not only that, but this derecho was followed by an intense wake-low that generated 50--70mph winds, gusts to 90mph, with worst damage from wake-low winds and the derecho actually being in Republic, MO.

[Apolyion]

"Are you fucking kidding me!?"....lmao. That's some scary shit. I live up in the Adirondack's in Upstate NY. We get pretty heavy straight-line winds and when it's been raining a few days, nothing is safe. We have 4 acres of land and I had to take down dozens of trees from around the houise to avoid what happened to you. We still get "blow-downs" as their called and lose a lot of trees, but the house is basically in the clear. Glad no one was hurt.

[nickthestick26]

@bonnaroojoo I think people just nicknamed this storm "inland hurricane" because of its cyclonic structure and high winds. I think we all know what an actual hurricane is and I don't think anyone really truly expected it to be classified as an actual tropical system. Purists gotta take it easy.

[Avesetsuna]

Lulz. This is a great video of the storm. Sorry about your car, but I couldn't help but giggle because at the beginning you said 'Bring it, bring it!' Sadly, nature brought it. I hope insurance covered the damage :<

[Greedo206]

owned



[timd941]

@bonnaroojoo well it did have a eye and it went over west frankfort, IL

[timd941]

@pericolace a derecho i think is a really long line of storms.

[sonicfanguyable]

i remember that i live in carbondale i was outside when this happend a tree hit my house in the back yard and was in my face a tree in my face after scool in 4th grade it was a early day