In the Eye of the Storm: What causes a Derecho storm? Explained

In the Eye of the Storm is a six-part limited series that premiered on the Discovery Channel and Max on July 14, 2024. The intriguing documentary series explores the disastrous natures of various kinds of storms and how they affect people.

As per Discovery, In the Eye of the Storm captures the account of the devastation of the storms through first-hand accounts of people who survived them. Howard Lee, the President of Discovery Networks, said that the series will showcase how people deal with life-or-death situations when they unfold in front of them. The series provides a close account of the intensity of these devastating storms through never-seen-before personal recordings made by people from up close.

The series will take a look at some of the most devastating storms in the world, ranging from Hurricane Ida to Hurricane Maui. The first episode dealt with a powerful twister that shook Mississippi and Arkansas. The second episode, titled Derecho Superstorm, provides a closer look at the storm that hit Nebraska in 2020.

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What causes a Derecho Storm? Details explored following the release of episode 2 of In the Eye of the Storm on Discovery

Storms are calamitous forces of nature that have the ability to destroy anything and everything in their way. Storms are usually classified as per the direction of winds and the speed at which the winds are traveling.

According to the National Weather Service, Derecho storms are classified as "fast-moving bands of thunderstorms with destructive winds." The winds are usually as strong as the winds of hurricanes. The speed of a derecho storm may range anywhere from 58 miles per hour up to 130 miles per hour.

The Derecho Storm shown in the last episode of In the Eye of the Storm on Discovery affected the midwest region of North America in August 2020. The term derecho is a Spanish word that translates to 'straight'. Unlike widely popular storms like hurricanes or tornadoes, where the winds travel in a circular motion, the winds of a derecho storm travel straight and with force, giving the storm its name.

What causes Derecho storms?

A Derecho storm in midwest America (image via National Geographic)

A derecho storm is caused by a phenomenon known as downburst. When the moisture-laden air in a thunderstorm encounters dry air surrounding it, the moisture in the air evaporates and cools the surrounding air. The dense cold air rapidly sinks to the ground, creating forceful gusts of winds known as downbursts.

The downbursts pull dry air toward the storm, which adds to the strength of the storm and even escalates to a cluster of downbursts. Derecho storms occur when downbursts occur over a wide area, resulting in a widespread area of damage sometimes ranging up to 240 miles long.

Derecho storms often increase in width and form large clusters of thunderstorms that ferociously move forward in one direction. These clusters form when the downbursts are stronger in the eye of the storm. More clusters result in faster winds, which cause widespread destruction in the ground below.

Derechos storms are common in the Midwest area of the United States. The Derecho storm shown on the last episode of In the Eye of the Storm affected the areas of Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The affected areas faced heavy rainfall and severe destruction of property. The storm also caused damage to the sprawling corn and soybean crops in the area.

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Catch the latest episode of In the Eye of the Storm now available for streaming on Max.