OHIO — A powerful complex of thunderstorms that traveled hundreds of miles across the Midwest on Tuesday is preliminarily being classified as a derecho, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
The storms began in Iowa early Tuesday morning before racing east through the Chicago area and across Indiana. Based on an initial review of storm reports and the evolution of the system, the Storm Prediction Center believes the same derecho-producing storm complex continued into Ohio.
Winds of more than 80 mph were reported as the storms moved through central Ohio, with a wind gust of 82 mph recorded in Columbus, the National Weather Service said. One death was reported as a result of the severe weather with more the 200,000 customers losing power, state emergency management officials said.
Meteorologists at the SPC said the derecho designation is preliminary and more information will be released as they continue to evaluate Tuesday’s storm data.
A derecho is not a single thunderstorm or tornado. Instead, the term describes a widespread, long-lived windstorm produced by an organized complex of thunderstorms. Derechos can travel hundreds of miles and produce extensive straight-line wind damage along their paths.
Aaron Hepker
Source link
