How long did the derecho last in Cedar Rapids?

It covered 770 miles in 14 hours, leaving a trail of destruction, including four deaths, in their wake. In Cedar Rapids, winds reached as high as 140 mph, the highest winds ever recorded during a derecho event — equivalent to a Category 3 or 4 hurricane.

How long do derecho storm last?

70% of derechos strike from May through August

By definition, a derecho should have winds that persist for at least six hours; however, they can last much longer. The 2020 Midwest derecho lasted for 14 hours. Most derechos, 70%, occur during the months of May through August, the Weather Service said.

When did derecho hit Cedar Rapids Iowa?

A Devastating Storm

On August 10, 2020, with very little time to prepare, a "derecho" hit the City of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, bringing wind speeds of 140 mph and causing widespread devastation throughout our community.

What day was the derecho in Iowa last year?

Officials have determined at least 43 tornadoes resulted from the Dec. 15 derecho that swept across Iowa — more than seven times the total number of tornadoes to take shape in December in Iowa since 1950, and the most tornadoes in any single day in the state's historical record.

What was the worst derecho ever?

The June 2012 Mid-Atlantic and Midwest derecho was one of the deadliest and most destructive fast-moving severe thunderstorm complexes in North American history.

The 2020 Iowa Derecho as it happened - New Edit (tick change)

When was the derecho in Iowa 2021?

Dec. 15, 2021, was a historic weather day for the state of Iowa. Sixty-one tornadoes were recorded, making it the worst tornado outbreak on record in Iowa and the only to occur in December. These tornadoes occurred in a line of storms known as a derecho, which had straight-line winds over 70 mph.

How often do derechos occur in Iowa?

In Iowa, derechos occur every year or two on average. Winds above 85 mph like that of the August 10, 2020, derecho are quite unusual. While meteorologists can forecast potential severe weather outbreaks a few days in advance, predicting a derecho can be difficult.

Has Iowa recovered from the derecho?

Nearly two years after Iowa derecho, recovery begins at 2-Jo's Farm in Benton County. After nearly two years in limbo, Jodi and John Philipp finally can move on from the derecho.

What was the strongest derecho?

In 2020 that record was broken with a gust of 126 mph recorded in Atkins. The Iowa Derecho is among the strongest across the country on record. The highest wind speed in a derecho was recorded in Utah, which was likely aided by the mountains in the region.

Are derechos becoming more common?

Whether such strong derechos might become more, or less, common due to climate change is difficult to say, however. Some anticipated effects of climate change, such as warming at the planet's surface, could increase the likelihood of more and stronger derechos by increasing atmospheric instability.

How many trees did Cedar Rapids lose in the derecho?

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KWWL)- A new survey by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources estimates the August 10, 2020 derecho destroyed more than 7 million trees across the state of Iowa.

How often do derechos happen?

The occurrence of derechos is divided into two seasons; the "warm" season which is May, June, July and August. 70% of all derechos occur during these four months. The remaining eight month comprise the "cool" season. Percent occurrences of derechos by month.

How rare is a derecho storm?

They are impressive to see both on the ground and from the sky. Derechos are most common in the Midwestern United States, but are still fairly rare. You might see a derecho about once a year there. They can occasionally be found all the way up into the Northeast.

How high were the winds in the Iowa derecho?

In Cedar Rapids, winds reached as high as 140 mph, the highest winds ever recorded during a derecho event — equivalent to a Category 3 or 4 hurricane. Nick Bergus and his daughter Evelyn walk hand in hand over tree debris left behind by the derecho near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Aug. 10, 2020.

How do you survive a derecho?

Lie flat and face-down on low ground, protecting the back of your head with your arms. If possible, avoid trees; even relatively small branches can become lethal when blown by storm winds. What can one do to after a derecho?

How much did the derecho cost?

August 2020 derecho now the costliest severe storm event in US history, tops 11.2 billion dollars. The powerful storm system brought winds of more than 100 MPH through much of Iowa and parts of Illinois.

Why did the derecho happen?

They can reach over 100 mph and are caused by air being dragged down by precipitation. When the air reaches the ground, it spreads outward across the surface of the land it encounters in a straight line. A Derecho is a very long lived and damaging thunderstorm.

What caused the derecho in Iowa?

In the morning, thunderstorms, including a supercell, developed over South Dakota and tracked into central Iowa. As the thunderstorms reached central Iowa, a strong rear-inflow jet developed which caused the thunderstorm to take on a different characteristic, becoming a derecho.

What states have the most derechos?

The highest annual frequencies of occurrence appear along the "Corn Belt," from Minnesota and Iowa into western Pennsylvania, and in the south central states, from eastern parts of the southern Plains into the lower Mississippi Valley.

Has a derecho ever happened before?

The derecho weakened considerably when the July 2011 Iowa-Illinois-Michigan-Ohio derecho sucked the instability and moisture from the storm over Lake Michigan. The derecho traveled more than 400 miles (640 km) and produced nine tornadoes in North Dakota and Western Minnesota.

Can a derecho happen in winter?

Since derechos occur during warm months and often in places with cold winter climates, people who are most at risk are those involved in outdoor activities.

Where is a derecho most likely to happen?

During the cool season (September through April), derechos are relatively infrequent but are most likely to occur from east Texas into the southeastern states.

How many tornadoes has Iowa had in 2021?

Iowa had 114 tornados in 2021, the second-most for a single year. Half of those, 63, occurred in December's Derecho and National Weather Service Meteorologist Rod Donavon says that's twice as many tornadoes as the previous record for a single event, which was 35 set back in 2014.

What is the difference between a derecho and a tornado?

What's the difference between a derecho and tornadoes? According to NOAA, tornadoes are cyclonic and usually are tightly packed. A derecho, on the other hand, is a straight-line windstorm. A derecho may produce tornadoes.