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.
Contents
How often do derechos occur in Iowa?
every other year
Derechos typically occur in Iowa every other year, but the derecho of 2020 was particularly strong. “Derechos are already the high end of these lines of thunderstorms that produce damaging wind. We’re talking like the top 5% or less of events.
Are Derechos common in Iowa?
The key things you should take away: derechos are a relatively common occurrence in Iowa, but the vast majority of them do not bring widespread devastation and the chances of another storm like August 2020 are extremely slim. That said, all forms of severe weather can impact us here in eastern Iowa.
When was the last derecho storm?
A long-lived line of severe storms known as a “derecho” produced severe wind damage across portions of South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio on Monday, August 10, 2020.
What was the worst derecho ever?
June 2012
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 long did the Iowa derecho last?
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.
Is a derecho worse than a hurricane?
The Short Answer: Derechos are fast-moving bands of thunderstorms with destructive winds. The winds can be as strong as those found in hurricanes or even tornadoes! Unlike hurricanes and tornadoes, these winds follow straight lines.
Is a derecho a microburst?
A derecho is a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. A typical derecho consists of numerous microbursts, downbursts, and downburst clusters.
Was the Iowa derecho a natural disaster?
DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) – The derecho that caused widespread damage across the Midwest in August is among the most expensive natural disasters to happen in the U.S. during 2020.Iowa and Illinois are among the states most affected by this storm. It caused damage to millions of acres of corn and soybean crops.
Who helped Iowa after the derecho?
FEMA has provided more than $33 million to help Iowa communities recover from the derecho that struck the state on August 10, 2020.
Is a derecho worse than a tornado?
Derecho damage
A derecho can be as destructive as a tornado, but it is destructive in a decidedly different way. The strong, swirling winds of a tornado will cause debris to fall every which way, while a derecho’s straight-line winds are similar to a regular thunderstorm—but stronger.
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 wide was the derecho in Iowa?
770 miles
The August derecho grew from a cluster of thunderstorms ranging from southeast South Dakota to Ohio. In its 14-hour span, it traveled east 770 miles across the Midwest, hitting Iowa the hardest with windspeeds of 100-plus miles per hour.
Where is a derecho most likely to happen?
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 long can a derecho last?
According to the National Weather Service (NWS) criterion, a derecho is classified as a band of storms that have winds of at least 25 m/s (50 kn) along the entire span of the storm front, maintained over a time span of at least six hours.
What caused Iowa derecho?
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.
Why do they call it a derecho?
“Derecho” is a Spanish word meaning “direct” or “straight ahead;” Hinrichs coined it to distinguish straight-line wind damage from that produced by tornadoes.
What states did the derecho hit?
The derecho traveled for 700 miles, impacting 10 states and Washington, D.C. The hardest hit states were Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland, as well as Washington, D.C. The winds generated by this system were intense, with several measured gusts exceeding 80 mph.
What does Derechos mean in English?
Definition of derecho
: a large fast-moving complex of thunderstorms with powerful straight-line winds that cause widespread destruction.
What is the difference between a downburst and a derecho?
A downburst occurs when the downdraft from a storm spreads out horizontally in all directions when it reaches the ground. The wind it creates can be very strong and can cause damage like a tornado. A downburst that is small in size is called a microburst.Derechos are straight-line winds associated with the downburst.
Is a derecho a 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. Three types of derechos are known.
