Earlier this month, severe thunderstorms and dangerous wind caused extensive damage and power outages across the Greater Houston area. Houstonians are used to severe weather, but many didn’t see this kind of storm coming. The unusual event on Thursday, May 16 was the result of a derecho, a rare type of severe thunderstorm. Let’s learn more!
What Is A Derecho?
A derecho is a widespread wind storm that can cause rapidly moving thunderstorms and produce similar damage to a tornado, according to the National Weather Service. The difference between a derecho and tornado is that it produces damage in a straight-line path. A derecho can form from bow echoes. Bow echoes can develop from a cluster of thunderstorms or a single strong storm. Dr. Gustavus Hinrichs, a professor at the University of Iowa, came up with the name “derecho” in 1888, which means “straight ahead” in Spanish.
What Caused This To Form In Houston?
A heat dome in Mexico is one of the factors that led to the derecho forming in Houston. The high atmospheric pressure in Mexico has continued for weeks, causing sweltering temperatures across Central America, south Texas, and southern Florida. Severe thunderstorms and an unstable atmosphere began to occur over the south-central United States as air from the northern edge of the heat dome collided with cooler, drier air. After the derecho hit Houston, it continued to cause wind damage stretching more than 1,000 miles all the way to Cape Canaveral, Florida. Eight deaths occurred in the Houston-area and nearly one million people lost power. Two tornadoes also touched down in Waller County and near Cypress with 100 mph winds. This is how Houston’s widespread power outages looked from space.
How Rare Was This?
The derecho event in Houston was only the fifth to occur in Texas within the last 40 years. However, about 70% of derecho events usually happen between May and August, according to the National Weather Service. Before Houston’s big storm event, the most recent derecho occurred from just west of Missouri through West Virginia in early April.
So, where were you during the derecho? Did you lose power and or notice how quickly the skies darkened? I want your stories for an upcoming Houston Chatter. Also, here’s how to prepare in case a tornado hits Houston.
