USDA Midwest Climate Hub Director Dennis Todey says there are an average of two derecho events each year. “We’ve seen several more recently. A couple of them have been impressive. The one in Iowa, coming up on two years ago, was as strong of an event as you’ll ever see with winds more than 120 miles-per-hour.” These storms typically bring extensive damage. “The category of 60 miles-per-hour winds can do some damage, blowing over crops. When the wind gets above 80 miles per hour, that’s when the situation gets much worse.”
