When was the last derecho in the United States?

During the morning hours of June 11, 2017, a dangerous derecho tracked eastward out of South Dakota, across Southern and Central Minnesota, and through Northern Wisconsin into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The derecho produced widespread wind gusts, large hail, and a tornado.

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.

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.

What states have the most derechos?

The climatology of MH derecho occurrence in the United States is shown in Figure 2. 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 time of year do derechos occur?

70% of all derechos occur between the months of May-August (the warm season). The other 30% occur during the cool season.

Cedar Rapids Derecho Live Camera Aug 10, 2020

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.

Are derecho storms rare?

Although derechos are rare west of the Great Plains, derechos occasionally do occur over interior portions of the western United States, especially during spring and early summer (e.g, see this case that affected parts of Utah and adjacent states on May 31, 1994).

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.

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.

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 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.

Are derecho storms common?

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 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.

How many derechos has Iowa had?

A total of 13 derechos have been recorded in Iowa since 1980, Glisan said. "To have derechos within two years of this intensity" is rare, he confirmed. Last August's derecho traveled 770 miles as straight-line winds decimated crops and shattered homes in Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Is a derecho worse than a hurricane?

By the time it arrived in Kitchener, Sills said the thunderstorm was producing gusts of up to 132 km/h. Unlike the rotating winds in a hurricane or a tornado, a derecho's winds are straight. That doesn't mean it's any less damaging; its winds can topple trees and lift up roofs.

Was the Dust Bowl a derecho?

Meteorologists said that the wall of dust was technically part of a derecho, which is a powerful wind storm extending more than 240 miles, with a line of quickly-moving thunderstorms.

Do derechos happen in Canada?

COMPARISON TO PAST DERECHOS

Derechos are among the most destructive weather events that Canada can experience. While the wind intensity cannot equal a strong to violent tornado, the expanse of area affected is orders of magnitude greater, often resulting in greater overall impact than tornado events.

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.

What was the highest wind speed in the derecho?

In Kansas, Russell gusted to 100 mph, Garden City and Dodge City to 84 mph, Goodland to 81 mph and Colby to 68 mph. The gust in Dodge City was its highest on record. Winds associated with the derecho peaked between 80 and 100 mph in Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa, with gusts over 70 mph in Missouri, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

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.

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.

What's 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.

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.

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.

Is a derecho a microburst?

A typical derecho consists of numerous microbursts, downbursts, and downburst clusters. By definition, if the wind damage swath extends more than 240 miles (about 400 kilometers) and includes wind gusts of at least 58 mph (93 km/h) or greater along most of its length, then the event may be classified as a derecho.