Can derechos happen anywhere?

Derechos occur mainly across the central and eastern U.S., where many locations are affected one to two times per year on average. They can produce significant damage to structures and sometimes cause “blowdowns” of millions of trees.

Where do derechos mostly occur?

Derechos in the United States most commonly occur along two axes. One extends along the "Corn Belt" from the upper Mississippi Valley southeast into the Ohio Valley, and the other from the southern Plains northeast into the mid Mississippi Valley (figure below).

How often do derecho storms occur?

Derechos are a global phenomenon, but they primarily occur across the central and eastern United States, which see an average of one to two of these storms per year, compared to more than a thousand tornadoes that churn across the country each year.

Can derechos happen in Texas?

During the cool season derechos are most likely to occur from eastern Texas into the southeastern states.

What was the worst derecho in history?

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.

Deep Dive: Derechos

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.

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.

Does Florida get derechos?

The squall line produced a serial derecho as it swept across the Florida peninsula, Cuba, and adjacent waters. The squall line reached the northern part of Florida's west coast and western Cuba between 11 p.m. and midnight (EST) on the evening of the 12th.

Has Michigan ever had a derecho?

In the stronger derecho events winds can exceed 100 mph. Southeast Lower Michigan has had several derechos in the past, but certainly one of the more memorable ones plowed through extreme Southern Michigan during the forenoon hours of Wednesday, July 16th, 1980.

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.

Has Iowa ever had a derecho before 2020?

Derechos of similar intensity to the August 2020 storm impact the Midwestern U.S. roughly once per decade, with similar derechos having occurred in 1998 and 2011.

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.

What's the rarest storm?

Volcanic lightning is truly a wonder to behold, and it's possibly the rarest weather phenomenon of this intensity you will encounter – mainly because it can only occur when a thunderstorm meets an erupting volcano.

Is a derecho a land hurricane?

derecho, also called land hurricane, windstorm traveling in a straight line characterized by gusts in excess of 93 km (58 miles) per hour and the production of a swath of wind-generated damage along a front spanning more than 400 km (250 miles) in length.

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.

How long does a derecho last?

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.

What are the different types of derechos?

Derechos can be categorized into three main types; serial, progressive, and hybrid. These categories are largely based on the overall organization and behavior of the thunderstorms producing the derecho. The type of derecho most often encountered during the spring and fall is called a serial derecho.

Was there a derecho in Iowa before?

Prior to last year's derecho, the last to hit the state was in 2014. A total of 13 derechos have been recorded in Iowa since 1980, Glisan said.

What qualifies as a derecho?

By definition, a derecho must include wind gusts of at least 58 mph (50 knots or 93 km/h) or greater along most of its length. While derecho winds typically are less than 100 mph, gusts as high as 130 mph have been recorded --- equivalent to those with strong EF2 tornadoes.

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.

What does a derecho sound like?

A derecho (pronounced similar to "deh-REY-cho" in English, or pronounced phonetically as " ") is a widespread, long-lived wind storm.

When was the last derecho in Michigan?

Area of Lower Michigan affected by the worst damage from the May 30-31, 1998 derecho.

How do derechos 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.

How do you stay safe during a derecho?

At the first sign of high winds and rain, find shelter and hunker down. You're at much greater risk from a derecho if you're out in the open. Get indoors if possible and move away from windows and doors. If you are in a mobile home or car, get to a nearby building or storm shelter as quickly as possible.

Are derechos caused by climate change?

But, he said, the ingredients necessary to form a derecho "may come together more often" as a result of the effects of climate change. A derecho happens when there's a lot of heat and moisture available and they are often tied to heat domes.