Derechos are widespread and persistent windstorms, which occur in Severe weather conditions and are accompanied by thunderstorms and showers. They are very destructive in nature and can be of one bow echo or several bow echoes. They are called bow echoes because they take the shape of bow being curved in shape.

The USA and North American countries are the ones, which are most vulnerable to these windstorms as the weather conditions support their formation.

Types of Derechos

Derechos are of the following types:

• Serial Derechos, which affect a large area for instance the Derechos affecting Florida, Cuba, Caribbean Sea and parts of Gulf of Mexico in the year 1993.

• Progressive Derechos, which are short line of thunderstorms taking the shape of a single bow. An example of such a kind of Derecho would be the Boundary Waters-Canadian Derecho, in the year 1999.

• Hybrid Derechos, which have the characteristics of both the above types of Derechos, both progressive and serial natured, for instance the Southern Great Lake Derecho in the year 1998.

Effects of Derechos

Derechos strike mostly in the warmer seasons, so the risk is the greatest for those who work in open areas or in the forest areas. Even the open water bodies are affected by these sudden windstorms. Strong winds have the capacity to overturn boats, damage property, uprooting trees and affecting the building structures.

People can be even killed or injured when a strong Derecho hits a city. Electrical power is affected due to the damage in the electrical wires and poles.

The most well remembered Derecho is the July 1995 Derecho Series, which spread over a large area from Montana to New England. In this series the Right Turn Derecho and the Ontario-Adirondacks Derecho were the ones, which took a number of lives and injured many more.