Derecho

A derecho is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm that is associated with a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms known as a mesoscale convective system. Derechos can cause hurricanic or tornadic-force winds, actual tornadoes, heavy rains, and flash floods. In many cases, convection-induced winds take on a bow echo form of squall line, often forming beneath an area of diverging upper tropospheric winds, and in a region of both rich low-level moisture and warm-air advection. Derechos move rapidly in the direction of movement of their associated storms, similar to an outflow boundary, except that the wind remains sustained for a greater period of time, and may exceed hurricane-force. A derecho-producing convective system may remain active for many hours and, occasionally, over multiple days.

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