Five years after the 2020 derecho, are the storms becoming more common?

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Five years ago, destructive prolonged wind gusts of up to 140 mph blew through Iowa, felling trees, flattening crops, ripping down power lines and tearing away building walls and roofs. It was the most costly thunderstorm in U.S. history .

Many Eastern Iowans didn’t know what a “derecho” was prior to the storm on Aug. 10, 2020 , but there were similar storms before 2020 and there will be more in the coming years.

With a changing climate that continues to warm, forensic meteorologist Kaj O’Mara said derechos could become more common in Iowa. And, thanks to advances in technology, our ability to detect them also could increase the number of confirmed derechos.

Still, William Gallus, a pr