derecho
Americannoun
-
derechos
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of derecho
1885–90; < Spanish: straight < Old Spanish < Latin dīrēctus, dērēctus direct ( def. )
Explanation
A derecho is a powerful, widespread, fast-moving, and destructive system of storms with extremely high-speed, straight-line winds. A derecho produces a swath of wind damage more than 240 miles long, and has wind gusts of at least 58 miles per hour. The name of this severe weather event is derived from the Spanish word derecho, which means "straight." Unlike tornadoes and hurricanes, which have rotating winds, derechos have winds that blow in a straight line. These storm systems occur mainly in North America, especially in the central and eastern regions of the United States, but they have also been documented in Europe, Asia, and South America. Most derechos occur in the warmer months, from late spring through summer.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
By combining assimilated infrared and microwave data in the study of the derecho, the researchers were able to predict surface gust locations and maximum wind values more accurately.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 21, 2024
The resulting plants are about one-third shorter than normal, and less likely to fall over or snap in a derecho.
From Science Magazine ● Oct. 25, 2023
The December 2021 event was a serial derecho.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 27, 2023
The storm is expected to develop into a derecho, a wind storm extending more than 240 miles with a line of fast-moving thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla.
From New York Times ● Feb. 26, 2023
A rare storm known as a derecho ripped through Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in summer 2021, taking many trees with it.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 11, 2023
The farms are some of the most productive in Mexico but have long suffered from large, persistent windstorms called derechos.
From Science Magazine ● Oct. 25, 2023
South Dakotans are accustomed to the storms known as derechos — they’ve had two recently.
From New York Times ● Jul. 6, 2022
Serial derechos are produced by storms with strong winds that bow outward, the service said.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 20, 2021
Already, shocking numbers have been put to flight by fires, derechos, and super storms, and so much worse is yet to come, according to experts.
From Salon ● Nov. 16, 2020
Out of the derechos, however, he knew he could square himself at the expense of the vice-regal government.
From The White Chief A Legend of Northern Mexico by L. Evans
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
