Iowa reflects on the impact of the 2020 derecho five years later

Five years ago, a catastrophic derecho swept across Iowa , causing widespread destruction, claiming lives, and leaving a lasting impact on the state.

A weather station in Albion, Marshall County, reported wind gusts reaching 99 mph during the storm. What was initially predicted to be a strong thunderstorm turned out to be much worse, with the full scope of the damage only becoming apparent after the storm had passed.

The town of Luther in Boone County experienced significant damage, including grain bins that were completely smashed. In Madrid, a woman was trapped in her car for five hours due to downed power lines.

In Des Moines, nearly 600 public or park trees had to be removed after the storm. The roof of the Des Moines Buccaneers hockey team's arena was torn off, with debris landin