What is the difference between a derecho and a hurricane?
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What is the difference between a derecho and a hurricane?
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.
What is a derecho storm?
A derecho, pronounced deh-REY-cho, is a long-lived, fast-moving thunderstorm that causes widespread wind damage. This particular storm system was fed by a heat dome over the eastern United States.
How often does a derecho occur?
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.
When was the last time there was a derecho?
aka “Heartland Derecho”, A severe weather event which took place from August 10–11, 2020 across the Midwestern United States and portions of southwestern Ontario.
How long does a downburst last?
Downburst—An area of strong winds produced by a downdraft over an area from < 1 to 10 km in horizontal dimension. Macroburst—A downburst that occurs over an area > 4 km in dimension and is typically 5–30 min in duration. Microburst—A downburst that covers an area < 4 km in dimension and lasts 2–5 min.
What does a downburst look like on radar?
In other words, a downburst will appear as a circular area that is half red (which denotes air moving away from the radar) and half green (which denotes air moving towards the radar).
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).
How long did the 2020 derecho last?
The term derecho was unknown to most everyone in Cedar Rapids until August 10, 2020, when we were faced with one head-on. The Midwest is known for flooding and tornados, but no one anticipated a fast-moving hurricane-like storm with straight-line winds of up to 140 miles per hour lasting over 45 minutes.
What is the difference between a microburst and a downburst?
Downburst is the general term for all localized strong wind events that are caused by a strong downdraft within a thunderstorm, while microburst simply refers to an especially small downburst that is less than 4 km across.
What was the derecho wind speed?
A derecho has wind gusts of at least 58 mph and causes wind damage along a front spanning at least 240 miles. Wednesday’s storm extended north to south across several states and produced wind gusts of more than 80 mph in some parts of Iowa.
Whats the worst type of storm?
Tropical storms have windspeeds between 40 & 73 mph Hurricanes are the biggest and most dangerous storms, with windspeeds greater than 74 mph. Other names for hurricanes are typhoons and tropical cyclones.
