what is a derecho

In May 2009, a “Super Derecho” pushed gusts of wind up to 106 miles an hour from the plains of Kansas to eastern Kentucky. Derechos are a lot less common than tornadoes but occur regularly in the Plains states. A derecho is a widespread severe wind event resulting from persistent and violent outflow from a MCS (Mesoscale Convective System). A derecho is a fast moving, long-lived storm that known for intense straight-line winds. The latter are only about 150 to 450 feet long, but they are severe and concentrated like the winds of a tornado and can exceed 100 miles an hour. Derechos are often referred to as inland hurricanes due to the hurricanelike conditions, in terms of ferocious wind and torrential rain, which are spawned by this weather phenomenon. Definition of a derecho A derecho (pronounced similar to "deh-REY-cho" in English, or pronounced phonetically as "") is a widespread, long-lived wind storm. In 1987, meteorologists defined what qualified as a derecho. Though the term disappeared from use shortly afterward, meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) resurrected it a hundred years later. and PhD in physical meteorology from Florida State University. I am not sure what the psychology behind attributing wind damage to tornadoes is, but it is important to understand that derechos and other strong gust winds can meet severe storm criteria often associated with tornadoes or large hail. By definition, a derecho's wind damage must be over 240 miles in coverage. Derechos move quickly and offer little notice of their arrival, giving people hours or minutes to seek safety. Derechos differ from tornadoes and hurricanes because of their straight-line winds as opposed to rotating winds. NOAA defines a derecho as, “ (pronounced similar to "deh-REY-cho" in English, or pronounced phonetically as "") a widespread, long-lived wind … All of these systems are classified as mesoscale convective systems (for example, the MCS mentioned above). When a cluster of strong downburst winds in the center of a storm races ahead of the rest of the storm, it creates what’s known as a bow echo. Derechos are most common over the South-Central US, with more than 75% of all derechos nationwide occurring between the months of April--August. After a derecho, pockets of massive destruction can sit next to areas that escape relatively unscathed. Note: Some of the following information, in abbreviated, question-and-answer format, is available in The Derecho FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page. Downburst clusters of wind caused by derechos can range from four to six miles long, containing smaller pockets of extreme wind called microbursts and burst swaths. At this point, I should also remind the reader that “derecho” has become similar to terms like “Polar Vortex” or “bombogenesis.” These terms have been around meteorology for decades, but many people think they are new. INTRODUCTION. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. 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. NOAA officially define s a derecho as “a widespread, long-lived windstorm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms.” For a swath of storms to be classified as a derecho, it must travel at least 240 miles and move at speeds of at least 58 … The winds can be as strong as those found in hurricanes or even tornadoes! El derecho is never a term of direction and is used to refer to something that is due a person according to law, moral principle or custom — in other words, a right. Though many described it at the time as an inland hurricane, this storm system was in fact a derecho with several small tornados embedded within its winds. Since the cool air is denser, it rapidly sinks to the ground and creates strong winds. 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. He also has received major honors from the American Meteorological Society, American Association of Geographers, and the Captain Planet Foundation. How do these strong winds form? Wind speeds from an August 10, 2020 derecho that devastated Iowa are estimated to have reached 140 mph. Dr. Shepherd received his B.S., M.S. For a storm to be classified as a derecho, wind speeds must reach 58 miles per hour, have “well-separated 75 miles per hour or higher wind gusts, wind damage that stretches a … A derecho (pronounced similar to "deh-REY-cho" in English, or pronounced phonetically as " ") is a widespread, long-lived wind storm associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms variously known as a squall line, bow echo, or quasi-linear convective system. A storm’s downdraft—when the cooled air drops back down to the surface—is key to producing the powerful winds that create derecho conditions. Learn more. But while derechos are a global phenomenon, 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. According to NOAA’s website, “Although a derecho can produce destruction similar to that of a tornado, the damage typically occurs in one direction along a relatively straight path.” Meteorologists like me will often refer to this hazard as "straight-line wind damage.” Like the oft-misused term “blizzard,” there are very specific criteria that define a derecho: There are ongoing efforts to tweak the definition, but I think you get the point that these things can be pretty serious. Derechos may not be as well known as hurricanes or tornadoes, but these rare storms can be just as powerful and destructive. © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. Before I get into what they are, let’s discuss the current meteorological circumstances involving this derecho. In 2004, he was honored at the White House with a prestigious PECASE award. The cooled air drops back to the surface, where it warms up again and starts the process over, generating further convection and ultimately causing a thunderstorm. Shepherd is frequently sought as an expert on weather and climate by major media outlets, the White House, and Congress. Stretching from four to six miles across, downbursts also suck more air into a storm, causing it to strengthen. A derecho is defined as a violent, prolonged wind event, produced along the leading edge of a widespread storm system known as a 'mesoscale convective system', or … It entered the public lexicon in 2012, when one of the most destructive derechos in history swept across roughly 700 miles from Ohio to the mid-Atlantic coast, killing 22 people and causing serious damage in metropolitan areas, including Chicago and Washington, D.C. NOAA officially defines a derecho as “a widespread, long-lived windstorm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms.” For a swath of storms to be classified as a derecho, it must travel at least 240 miles and move at speeds of at least 58 miles an hour, though the winds are often more powerful. Learn more. Ask Ethan: Is Einstein’s Cosmological Constant The Same As Dark Energy? 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. Derecho definition, a widespread and severe windstorm that moves rapidly along a fairly straight path and is associated with bands of rapidly moving thunderstorms. When the wet air in a thunderstorm meets the drier air surrounding it, the water in the air evaporates. They proposed that for a storm system to be classified as a derecho, it had to produce severe winds … On August 10, 2020, a derecho swept across the Midwest from South Dakota to Ohio, travelling 770 miles in 14 hours and knocking out power for more than a million people. Derechos are particularly destructive because, unlike tornadoes, their paths can be hundreds of miles wide. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. For a thorough discussion of derechos, I recommend this 2005 scholarly study published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society by Walker Ashley, a professor at Northern Illinois University, and Thomas Mote, a professor and associate dean at the University of Georgia. Translate Derecho. Derechos usually carve a large path of destruction as well. You may opt-out by. This cools the air to its dew point, the temperature at which water vapour condenses into droplets, which causes clouds to form. A Colorado derecho on June 6 had winds in excess of … It all has to do with something called a downburst. This bowing of the storm front forces even more warm air into the atmosphere, intensifying the thunderstorm. In 2002, a derecho over eastern Germany killed eight people and injured 39, hitting Berlin the hardest. Normal thunderstorms occur when warm air rises from the surface of Earth into colder air in the upper atmosphere. What does all of this meteorological jargon mean? Derechos are challenging to predict. Thunderstorms can also rapidly evolve into derechos, making it all the more important to take storm warnings seriously. Just Because. The term derecho—which means “straight ahead” in Spanish—was coined in 1888 by Gustavus Hinrichs, a physics professor at the University of Iowa who sought to distinguish these straight-moving winds from the swirling gusts of a tornado. Credit: KSDK. When the cool air hits the ground, it spreads out in all directions, pushing warm air near the surface into a front of gusty wind. Primarily seen in the central and eastern United States, these unusual storms create walls of wind that streak for hundreds of miles at high speeds. He has over 80 peer-reviewed scholarly publications and numerous editorials. When a bow echo—or a series of bow echoes—moves across more than 250 miles with wind gusts of more than 58 miles an hour, it can officially be classified as a derecho. How Gravitational Waves Might Wind Up Proving Einstein Wrong, Best Space Images Of 2020: A ‘Christmas Star’ And A ‘Comet Of The Century’ To A New Hubble Masterpiece, People With Bionic Hands Can’t Correct Their Sense Of Touch, The Monday weather discussion of the National Weather Service-Chicago said, NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center issued this dire statement, wind damage swath is greater than than 250 miles (about 400 kilometers), wind gusts that are 58 mph (93 km/h) or greater along much of the length of the line, pockets of 75 mph (121 km/h) or greater gusts. Serial derechos form along the leading edge of a strong cold front and can stretch along a north-south axis from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. Prior to UGA, Dr. Shepherd spent 12 years as a Research Meteorologist at NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center and was Deputy Project Scientist for the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission. See more. It differs from typical thunderstorm lines by its rapid speed of movement and the existence of highest wind speeds well behind the gust front, rather than at the gust front. When water evaporates, it cools the air around it. A derecho is linked to a group of thunderstorms that form bow echos, which come together with strong winds and spread in a horizontal direction. The August 2020 Midwest derecho had winds up to 112 miles an hour. These straight-ahead storms most commonly form in the late spring and summer, when high pressure weather systems—whirling masses of descending air—move north from the tropics into the U.S. On days when derechos form, it is often uncertain whether any storms will form at all. Check out the photos below to see what a … A derecho (pronounced dare-ay-show) is a long-lived straight-line damaging wind event caused by a line of severe thunderstorms. Forecasters did not anticipate the historic June 2012 derecho until it was already underway. A serial derecho, on the other hand, doesn't form on its own. The Monday weather discussion of the National Weather Service-Chicago said, “All eyes are on the incoming impressive convective complex surging eastward towards the river early this afternoon....Given the number of measured severe (and significant severe) wind gusts ongoing, see no real reason that this won`t continue well into and through our CWA (area of responsibility) given the thermodynamic environment in place.” On the same day NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center issued this dire statement, “A long-lived bowing MCS (mesoscale convective system), that appears to have peaked in terms of intensity and amplitude of significant severe wind gusts, will likely produce scattered damaging winds and isolated significant severe gusts as it spreads into Lower Michigan and Indiana this evening.” Indeed, this all sounds particularly dangerous, and images of damage are already emerging from across the region. Destructive derecho brings 100 mph winds to Iowa, blasts through Chicago along 700-mile path. The dow… Your Christmas Night Sky Revealed: 12 ‘Christmas Stars’ And What To Point A New Telescope At, Shattered Chromosomes Help Create Drug-Resistant Cancer Cells. CNN's Jennifer Gray explains the power of a derecho wind storm and how it can sometimes cause more damage than a tornado. EY & Citi On The Importance Of Resilience And Innovation, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, Michigan Economic Development Corporation With Forbes Insights, Perspective On Bad ‘99% COVID-19 Survival Rate’ Arguments Using Weather, How, When And Where You Can See A Full ‘Cold Moon’ This Christmas From Wherever You Are. 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. Derechos are challenging to predict. Some derechos, however, occur during cooler weather and are most likely to form in the region stretching from Texas across the Southeast. A derecho is a strong wind storm that’s associated with a band of fast-moving thunderstorms, typically in the formation of a bow. The derecho environment includes dry mid-levels winds that are ingested into a squall line or a segment of a squall line. Courtesy of (SPC derecho facts) Example 1: Labor Day 1998 Derecho (Above) Radar image of the Labor Day 1998 derecho bearing down on … In order to be classified as a derecho, the storm complex must travel a … Among years with notable derechos in Iowa: 1983, 1986, 1991, 1998, 2004, 2011 … derecho meaning: 1. a storm that moves fast, usually in a straight line, and that brings strong winds that can cause…. NOAA has a very informative website that goes into the origin of derechos. The steeple at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois, was toppled during a derecho on Monday, August 10, 2020, which also left several trees in the nearby park heavily damaged. When used in the plural, it typically means "rights" such as in the phrase derechos humanos, human rights.It can also refer to a type of "right" that is less abstract. Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, a leading international expert in weather and climate, was the 2013 President of American Meteorological Society (AMS) and is Director of the. A derecho can be as destructive as a tornado, but it is destructive in a decidedly different way. As I write this piece, a significant derecho event is making its way across the midwestern part of the United States. On days when derechos form, it is often uncertain whether any storms will form at all. The storms struck the Midwest with the ferocity of a hurricane. derecho definition: 1. a storm that moves fast, usually in a straight line, and that brings strong winds that can cause…. Oddly, I find that people immediately default to tornadoes when they see wind damage when it is often straight-line winds. Why Do Octopuses Punch Fish? It is creating a path of destruction. The term "derecho" vaulted into public awareness in June 2012, when one of the most destructive derechos in U.S. history formed in the Midwest … Primarily seen in late spring and summer in the central and eastern United States, derechos produce walls of strong wind that streak across the landscape, leaving hundreds of miles of damage in their wake. Dr. Shepherd is the Georgia Athletic Association Distinguished Professor and hosts The Weather Channel’s Weather Geeks Podcast, which can be found at all podcast outlets. Derechos have been documented in other parts of the world, including Eastern Europe and South Asia. But if they do, the chance exists for explosive development of intense winds. Here is a quick “101” on derechos. Derechos are large clusters of thunderstorms that produce widespread straight-line wind damage, usually as a result of one or more curved lines of thunderstorms known as bow echoes. Progressive derechos are incredibly dangerous because they can produce damage over hundreds of miles with wind gusts over 100 MPH. CNN meteorologist Chad Myers explains to Anderson Cooper how derechos are formed. Cars fleeing a derecho on May 30, 2012. However, there were several posts on my social media feeds today asking “What is a derecho?” or “How could this much destruction be caused by a derecho? Dr. J. Marshall Shepherd, a leading international expert in weather and climate, was the 2013 President of American Meteorological Society (AMS) and is Director of the University of Georgia’s (UGA) Atmospheric Sciences Program. SubscribePrivacy Policy(UPDATED)Terms of ServiceCookie PolicyPolicies & ProceduresContact InformationWhere to WatchConsent ManagementCookie Settings, Fire clouds and fire tornadoes: How wildfires spawn extreme weather, Why Velociraptors are among the most misunderstood dinosaurs, Tornadoes: The science behind the destruction, Here's what made Ankylosaurus the armored tank of dinosaurs, one of the most destructive derechos in history, is key to producing the powerful winds that create derecho conditions, have been documented in other parts of the world, an average of one to two of these storms per year, When deadly storms arrive, here’s why some people run toward danger, New Photo Shows Huge Cyclone Horde on Jupiter, Conditions are ripe for a major Atlantic hurricane in 2020, five million people from Chicago to the mid-Atlantic. A mesoscale convective system on August 10th, 2020 producing derecho winds. But these rapidly moving winds pose a particular risk to anyone who happens to be outdoors, such as campers and hikers. For more CNN videos, visit our site at http://www.cnn.com/video/ The derecho in the U.S. East on June 3, 2020 killed 4 people and left a million without power. See 18 authoritative translations of Derecho in English with example sentences, phrases and audio pronunciations. NOAA defines a derecho as, “(pronounced similar to "deh-REY-cho" in English, or pronounced phonetically as "") a widespread, long-lived wind storm.” They are typically associated with organized bands of rapidly moving thunderstorms or rainstorms like squall lines, bow echoes, and quasi-linear convective systems. Unlike hurricanes and tornadoes, these winds follow straight lines (in fact, derecho means straight in Spanish). Derechos can cause protracted power outages, such as the June 2012 storm that knocked out power for five million people from Chicago to the mid-Atlantic. 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