(Sheldon)– We have some new information about that confirmed tornado that hit Sheldon this past Friday. More specifically, why a tornado warning wasn’t issued. Peter Rogers, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, says it’s because they couldn’t detect it on radar…
“In this particular instance with the tornado that impacted Sheldon it was a little bit of a different situation than what you might consider with a larger thunderstorm, what we oftentimes call super cell thunderstorms which have a very deep rotating updraft, meaning our radar is able to see rotation to a very high level in the atmosphere. With the tornado that occurred in Sheldon last Friday, the rotation most likely developed very near the surface and then got pulled into a thunderstorm. So that circulation was very low to the ground and it wasn’t through a very deep column, and that it makes it more difficult to be able to pick those things up.”
Rogers says it emphasizes the point for everyone to be “weather aware” on days when severe weather is likely to occur.
No injuries were reported in the twister but there was significant damage to an R-V dealership on the east side of Sheldon.
