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70mph winds blow through Lancaster
70Reynolds
Andy Reynolds camper sits near STH 61, flipped several times by high winds that blew through Thursday afternoon.

A day after a tornado and straight-line winds tore through parts of Bagley, Patch Grove and Mt. Hope, wind gusts in excess of 70 miles an hour, part of a storm front that moved across Grant County Thursday afternoon, caused damage outside of Lancaster.

Tornado sirens blared after 2 p.m. May 30 in Lancaster, as the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for the county. The warning was due to indications on radar showing possible circulation in the storm front, not due to any spotted funnel clouds.

Around 2:30 p.m., weather spotters around Lancaster recorded wind gusts in excess of 70 miles an hour. Those winds toppled and uprooted trees at the county's Orchard Manor complex. The winds also broke the City of Lancaster sign, tearing the "City of the Dome" sign from two of the tree chains that hold it in place.

It also did a number on Alan Reynolds camper.

"I will cut you a deal," Reynolds joked about the pull camper, which was sitting on the gravel off of STH 61. That is not where Reynolds had parked the camper a month ago in attempting to sell it. That location was 15 ft. to the west. The winds had flipped and rolled the camper twice, through the ditch, and onto the road shoulder.

The camper was insured, and instead of entertaining offers, Reynolds was figuring out how to move the camper, which is sitting on its side, wheels in the air facing the roadway. The camper was severely damaged, as the rear portion can now be pried open

Over at Orchard Manor, one tree in front of the 52 Building was completely uprooted, the ground cut where the roots whipped through. On the other side of the parking lot, several tress looked like toothpicks, major branches, some three-feet-wide, snapped.