Derecho
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222021483
2008-06-27T05:02:35Z
Tmangray
959486
this ought to be re-worked and moved to body of text
[[Image:Shelfcloudspc.jpg|thumb|Derecho photographed in [[Minnesota]]]]A '''derecho''' (''from Spanish'': "[[wikt:derecho|derecho]]" meaning "straight") is a widespread and long-lived, violent convectively induced straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe [[thunderstorm]]s usually taking the form of a [[bow echo]]. Derechos blow in the direction of movement of their associated storms, similar to a gust front, except that the wind is sustained and generally increases in strength behind the "gust" front. A warm weather phenomenon, derechos occur mostly in summer, especially July in the northern hemisphere. They can occur at any time of the year and occur as frequently at night as in the daylight hours.
The traditional criteria that distinguish a derecho from a severe thunderstorm are ''sustained'' winds of 58 mph/92 km/h during the storm as opposed to gusts, high and/or rapidly increasing forward speed, and geographic extent (typically {{convert|250|nmi|km}} in length. <ref>http://www.crh.noaa.gov/dlh/science/event_archive/summer_archive/1999blowdown/1999blowdown.php</ref>) In addition, they have a distinctive appearance on radar (bow echo); several unique features, such as the rear inflow notch and bookend vortex, and usually manifest two or more downbursts.
Although these storms most commonly occur in North America, derechos may infrequently occur elsewhere in the world. Outside North America they may be called by different names. For example, in [[Bangladesh]] and adjacent portions of [[India]], a type of storm known as a "[[Nor'wester]]" may be a progressive derecho.<ref name="noaa">{{cite web| url=http://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos/derechofacts.htm| title=About Derechos| publisher=[[Storm Prediction Center]], NCEP, NWS, NOAA Web Site| first= Robert H.| last= Johns| coauthors= Jeffry S. Evans| date=2006-04-12| accessdate=2007-06-21}}</ref>
== Etymology ==
''Derecho'' comes from the [[Spanish language|Spanish]] word for "straight", referring to the straight-line winds in contrast to the turning winds of a tornado.<ref>Tiscali reference. [http://www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/phrases/spanish/s2e_data/dspaneng.html Phrases: D.] Retrieved on [[2007-05-18]].</ref> The word was first used in the ''American Meteorological Journal'' in 1888 by [[Gustavus Hinrichs]]. The word "[[tornado]]" derives from the Spanish word ''tornar'' meaning "to turn".
==Characteristics==
[[Image:Derecho DECCA radar 1969-07-04.jpg|thumb|DECCA radar recorded a bow echo associated with deadly winds in the Cleveland area.]]Derechos come from a band of thunderstorms that are bow- or spearhead-shaped, and hence are also called a ''bow echo'' or ''spearhead radar echo''. The size of the bow may vary and the storms may die and redevelop. Winds in a derecho can be enhanced by [[downburst]] clusters embedded inside the storm. These straight-line winds can exceed 100 mph (160 km/h) (in some cases, sustained wind) in these clusters and straight-line wind gusts of up to 155 mph (250 km/h) are possible in the most extreme cases.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} Tornadoes sometimes form within derecho events, although such are often difficult to confirm due to the additional damage caused by straight-line winds in the immediate area.
On the other hand, with the average tornado in the United States and Canada rating in the low end of the F/[[EF]]1 classification at 85-100 mph peak winds and most or all of the rest of the world even lower, derechoes tend to deliver the vast majority of extreme wind over much of the territory in which they occur.{{Fact|date=June 2008}} Data compiled by the United States' [[National Weather Service]] and other organisations shows that a large swath of the North Central United States and presumably at least the adjacent sections of Canada and much of the surface of the Great Lakes can expect winds above {{convert|85|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} to as high as {{convert|120|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}} over a significant area at least once in any 50-year period, including both [[convective]] events and extra-tropical cyclones and other events deriving power from [[baroclinic]] sources. Only in 40-65 per cent or so of the United States resting on the coast of the Atlantic basin and a fraction of the Everglades are derechoes surpassed in this respect -- by landfalling [[hurricanes]] which can be understood from all practical standpoints as being F1 to F3 [[tornadoes]] 10 to 100+ miles across.
[[Image:1998may3031rpts.jpg|thumb|Area affected by the May 30-31, 1998 derecho event. Purple lines mark the "gust front" at three hourly intervals. "+" symbols mark wind damage or gusts above {{convert|58|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}. Red dots and paths mark tornadoes.]]Certain derecho situations are the most common instances of severe weather outbreaks which can become ''less'' favourable to tornado production as they become more violent; the height of the 30-31 May 1998 upper Middle West-Canada-New York State derecho and the latter stages of significant tornado and severe weather outbreaks in 2003 and 2004 are but only three examples of this. Some [[upper-air]] measurements used for severe-weather forecasting can reflect this [[point of diminishing returns]] for tornado formation, and the mentioned three situations were instances during which the rare but quite possible [[particularly dangerous situation]] [[Severe thunderstorm watch|severe thunderstorm]] variety of [[Severe weather terminology (United States)|severe weather watches]] were issued from the [[Storm Prediction Center]] of the US [[National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration]].
Downbursts in general are extremely common in derechoes and the rotor variety can also cause damage in a circular pattern.
==Climatology==
{{main|List of derecho events}}
Derechos in North America form from May to August, peaking in frequency during July. During this time of year, derechos are mostly found in the [[Ohio River|Ohio Valley]], [[Upper Mississippi River|Upper Mississippi Valley]] and the
[[Great Lakes]] region including southern Canada, mostly in Southwestern Ontario. During mid-summer if a hot and muggy airmass covers most of the north-central US they will often develop in [[Manitoba]] or [[Northwestern Ontario]], near or just north of the US-Canadian border. [[North Dakota]], [[Minnesota]] and upper [[Michigan]] are also vulnerable to derecho storms when such conditions are in place. They often occur during periods of extreme heat along [[stationary front]]s on the northern side of where the most intense heat and humidity is occurring. Late-year derechos are confined to [[Texas]] and the deep south, although a [[New York State Labor Day Derechos|late-summer derecho]] struck upper [[New York State]] after midnight on [[New York State Labor Day Derechos|September 7]], 1998.
Derechos have been known to occur in other parts of the world. One such event occurred on [[July 10]], [[2002]] in [[Germany]]. A serial derecho killed eight people and injured 39 near [[Berlin]]. They have been seen in Argentina and South Africa as well, in addition to Canada in rare occasions to or above the 60th parallel.
==Classification==
[[Image:Serial derecho diagram.jpg|thumb|Serial derecho]][[Image:Progressive derecho diagram.jpg|thumb|Progressive derecho]]There are three types of derechos:
* '''Serial derecho''' - Multiple bow echoes embedded in a massive squall line typically around 250 miles (400 km) long. This type of derecho is usually associated with a very deep [[low pressure area|low]]. One example of the serial type is a derecho that occurred during the [[Storm of the Century (1993)]] in [[Florida]]. Also because of embedded [[supercell]]s, [[tornado]]es can easily spin out of these types of derechos.
* '''Progressive derecho''' - A small line of thunderstorms take the bow-shape and can travel for hundreds of miles. An example of this is the [[Boundary Waters-Canadian Derecho]] of [[July 4]] and [[July 5]], [[1999]].
* '''Hybrid derecho''' - Has characteristics of a serial and progressive derecho. These types of derechos are associated with a deep low like serial derechos, but are relatively small in size like progressive derechos. An example is the one that moved through the central Northern Plains and the Southern Great Lakes on [[May 30]]/[[May 31]], [[1998]].
According to the [[National Weather Service]] criterion, a derecho is classified as a band of storms that have winds of at least 50 knots (58 mph or 93 km/h) along the entire span of the derecho.
== Damage risk==
Since derechos occur during warm months and often in places with cold winter climates, people who are most at risk are those involved in outdoor activities. Campers, hikers, and motorists are most at risk because of falling trees toppled over by straight line winds. Most casualties in derechos come from trees falling on cars. People who live in mobile homes are also at risk. Mobile homes that are not anchored to the ground can be overturned from the high winds.
== See also ==
*[[List of derecho events]]
*[[Weather]]
*[[Severe weather]]
*[[Meteorology]]
*[[Extreme weather]]
== References ==
===World Wide Web===
{{reflist}}
===Printed Media===
* Ashley, Walker S., et al (2004). "Derecho Families". ''Proceedings of the 22nd Conference on Severe Local Storms'' [http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fams.confex.com%2Fams%2Fpdfpapers%2F81309.pdf&ei=t-ZjRd_uB5zu4QGt1qyDCA&usg=__uj7e9du5adYZRgkX3aceAWA9KFg=&sig2=rajONkaLLX2ZpvytUhvjlw], [[American Meteorological Society]], Hyannis, MA.
* Ashley, Walker S., et al (2005). "Derecho Hazards in the United States" [http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2FBAMS-86-11-1577]. ''[[Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society]]'', 86 (11), pp. 1577–92.
* Ashley, Walker S., et al (2005). "On the episodic nature of derecho-producing convective systems in the United States" [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/112100659/ABSTRACT]. ''[[International Journal of Climatology]]'', 25 (14), pp 1915-32.
* Bentley, Mace L., and Thomas L. Mote (1998). "A Climatology of Derecho-Producing Mesoscale Convective Systems in the Central and Eastern United States, 1986–95. Part I: Temporal and Spatial Distribution" [http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0477%281998%29079%3C2527%3AACODPM%3E2.0.CO%3B2]. ''[[Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society]]'', 79 (11), pp. 2527–40.
* Bentley, Mace L., et al (2000). "A synoptic climatology of derecho producing mesoscale convective systems in the North-Central Plains" [http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/73503390/ABSTRACT]. ''[[International Journal of Climatology]]'', 20 (11), pp 1329-49.
* Burke, Patrick C., and David M. Schultz (2004). "A 4-Yr Climatology of Cold-Season Bow Echoes over the Continental United States" [http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F811.1]. ''[[Weather and Forecasting]]'', 19 (6), pp. 1061–74.
* Coniglio, Michael C., et al (2004). "An Observational Study of Derecho-Producing Convective Systems" [http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0434%282004%29019%3C0320%3AAOSODC%3E2.0.CO%3B2]. ''[[Weather and Forecasting]]'', 19 (2), pp. 320–37.
* Coniglio, Michael C. and David J. Stensrud (2004). "Interpreting the Climatology of Derechos" [http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0434%282004%29019%3C0595%3AITCOD%3E2.0.CO%3B2]. ''[[Weather and Forecasting]]'', 19 (3), pp. 595–605.
* [http://cimms.ou.edu/%7Edoswell/barcelona/Barcelona_Wind.html Extreme Convective Windstorms: Current Understanding and Research] (''Report of the Proceedings (1994) of the U.S.-Spain Workshop on Natural Hazards'' (Barcelona, Spain, 8-11 June 1993), J. Corominas and K.P. Georgakakos, Eds., pp. 44-55)
* Doswell, Charles A., and Jeffry S. Evans (2003). "Proximity sounding analysis for derechos and supercells: an assessment of similarities and differences" [http://webserv.chatsystems.com/~doswell/publications/Doswell&Evans_ECSS02.pdf]. ''[[Atmospheric Research]]'', 67–68, pp. 117–33.
* Evans, Jeffry S., and [[Charles A Doswell III]] (2001). "Examination of Derecho Environments Using Proximity Soundings" [http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0434%282001%29016%3C0329%3AEODEUP%3E2.0.CO%3B2]. ''[[Weather and Forecasting]]'', 16 (3), pp. 329–42.
* Johns, Robert H., and W. D. Hirt, W. (1987). "Derechos: Widespread Convectively Induced Windstorms" [http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0434%281987%29002%3C0032%3ADWCIW%3E2.0.CO%3B2]. ''[[Weather and Forecasting]]'', 2 (1), pp 32-49.
* [[Ron Przybylinski|Przybylinski, Ron W.]] (1995). "The Bow Echo: Observations, Numerical Simulations, and Severe Weather Detection Methods" [http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0434%281995%29010%3C0203%3ATBEONS%3E2.0.CO%3B2]. ''[[Weather and Forecasting]]'', 10 (2), pp. 203–18.
== External links ==
* [http://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos/derechofacts Facts about derechos] ([[Storm Prediction Center]])
* [http://snrs.unl.edu/amet451/miriovsky/what.html What is a derecho?] ([[University of Nebraska at Lincoln]])
* [http://www.theweatherprediction.com/habyhints/288/ What is a derecho?] (Meteorologist Jeff Haby's education page)
* [http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/special_projects/walker_grad.pdf Derecho Hazards in the United States] (Walker Ashley)
[[Category:Derechos|*]]
[[Category:Storms]]
[[Category:Severe weather and convection]]
[[Category:Weather hazards]]
[[Category:Winds]]
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