| [GMCnet] High winds [message #357789] |
Mon, 17 August 2020 21:56  |
stu@97381.com, Emery
Messages: 232
Registered: June 2020
Karma:
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Senior Member |
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I had heard that parts of the Midwest had 100 mph winds last week. I was talking to Bob Dunahugh today and found out that it hit hard in Cedar Rapids, IA.
He told me:
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> “I talked to a farmer last night that lives about a mile North of our house. He has his own weather station for his farm operation. He had readings of sustained winds of 100 to 110 MPH for just short of an hour. With some gusta in the 135 MPH range. His system isn't built to read anything higher. High wind gust for us is normally around 50 MPH.
> There WAS a large nuclear power plant about 9 miles from our house that HAD two tall cooling towers. Those towers are NO MORE. The big steel electric transmission towers didn't do too well either all over this part of Iowa. We're lucky to have a large substation just South of us. And all the power lines to our area, are underground.
> Repairs start at substation. We got lucky'. The Cedar Rapids area is at about 200,000 people. It's thought that there will be some areas that will not have power for weeks. Travel is still a problem in the Cedar Rapids metro area.
> This area is a large grain hub. So, we have lots of rail road tracks. And to see rows of freight cars blown off the tracks. Huge grain bins blowen apart. With billions of bushels of corn/beans on the ground from each bin. Now it's reported that over 23 million acres of crops are destroyed.
> As for our house. Three trees are on the roof. The West GMC garage/shop did well. Just missing shingles on the roof. It has 2 large overhead doors that face West. I paid well for really good doors 10 years ago.. That extra expense just paid off well.
> The East Yenko garage can hold 6 cars. That roof had 4 trees resting on it. With one large limb putting a hole in the South East corner of that roof. So, water was able to enter. Got the 3/4 in sheet rock ceiling, and the 36 inches of insulation above wet enough that about 25 sq ft of the ceiling came crashing down. Just missing three of the Yenkos in there. One valued at $330,000, The other 2 at $220,000 each. That was way past scary.
> Our commercial property, and apartments fared well. But we had a really nice rental house that didn't. Most of the shingles. Gone. Along with much siding. Then 2 triple pain windows got blown in on the West side.. And the glass from those 2 windows ( and other stuff. ). Blew out 2 windows on the East side of that same house. As to the 2-stall garage that was in the backyard. We haven't been able to find most of it. But that's OK. Because the wind delivered most of someone else's 2-stall garage where are’s was. That seems fair. RIGHT? GRIN.
> Bottom line. We got off scot free. With basically no damage. In comparison to the massive devastation that so many thousands ended up with. So many commercial buildings destroyed. And if your work place is still standing there’s no electric service on anyway. To see a metro area this size. Just black at night. So unreal.
> Our buildings have 4 ft footings. To be below the Winter freeze line. Our water/sewer lines have to be 4 ft below ground level. 6-8 inch outside walls. 36 inches of insulation above the ceilings. Our structures are built to withstand extreme cold. But not this. Bob Dunahugh”
I don’t know if other GMCers in the area have damage but it’s likely.
Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick CO
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