What caused the 2020 derecho?
It caused high winds and spawned an outbreak of weak tornadoes. Some areas reported torrential rain and large hail….August 2020 Midwest derecho.
| Flattened corn field near Adel, Iowa on evening of August 19, 2020. | |
|---|---|
| August 10 radar composite from 8am to 7pm CDT | |
| Tornadoes caused | 25 |
What is devastating derecho?
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.
How is a derecho different from a tornado?
Derechos (pronounced like “deh-REY-chos”) are fast-moving bands of thunderstorms with destructive winds. But instead of spiraling like a tornado or hurricane, the winds of a derecho move in straight lines. That’s where the storm gets its name; the word derecho means “straight ahead” in Spanish.
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.
How do you spot a derecho?
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.
What does a derecho look like on radar?
Classic derechos occur with squall lines that contain bow- or spearhead-shaped features as seen by weather radar that are known as bow echoes or spearhead echoes.
How is a derecho similar to a tornado?
Although a derecho can produce destruction similar to the strength of tornadoes, the damage typically is directed in one direction along a relatively straight swath. As a result, the term “straight-line wind damage” sometimes is used to describe derecho damage.
What does derecho stand for in weather category?
A derecho (pronounced similar to “deh-REY-cho”) is a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms.
Where did the term derecho wind come from?
The word “derecho” was coined in 1888 by Dr. Gustavus Hinrichs, a professor of physics at the University of Iowa. Hinrichs used the term in a paper published by the American Meteorological Journal to distinguish thunderstorm-induced straight-line winds from the damaging, rotary winds of tornadoes.
When does a storm become a derecho storm?
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. The gust front “arcus” cloud on the leading edge of a derecho-producing storm system.