Overnight expect strong winds that could potentially result in a derecho.
A dangerous derecho is set to develop on Monday afternoon and continue into Tuesday morning, starting in eastern South Dakota and moving east across southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. The storm is expected to bring strong damaging winds, with gusts potentially reaching 80 to 90 mph, according to meteorologist Donna Dubberke.
The predicted path of the derecho will take it from eastern South Dakota, eastward into southern Minnesota and northern Iowa overnight into Tuesday. The threat area includes mainly parts of South Dakota and Minnesota, extending eastward as the derecho progresses.
This upcoming derecho is not expected to reach the extreme wind speeds and deadly impacts of the June 2025 derecho that saw gusts over 120 mph and caused major damage across multiple states. However, it is still considered a moderate to potentially high threat, with a Level 3 out of 5 Enhanced Risk for severe storms, as upgraded by the Storm Prediction Center.
The current weather event is particularly concerning in Iowa due to the moist soil resulting from recent heavy rain. This condition could make trees more susceptible to toppling in a wind storm, as warned by Dubberke. The 2020 derecho in Iowa was particularly destructive, with winds potentially reaching 140 miles an hour, equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane. It flattened crops, ripped roofs off houses, and destroyed more than half of the tree canopy in Cedar Rapids.
In light of this, Dubberke has urged everyone to closely monitor the forecast and the sky, and to have a warning method that will wake them up. The National Weather Service has also warned of possible derecho or strong damaging winds overnight Monday into Tuesday. Cleanup from the 2020 derecho in Iowa took a full year.
Residents in Delaware County are encouraged to sign up for Delaware County Alerts for updates on the weather situation. You can sign up at https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=DelawareCountyAlerts.
A derecho is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm associated with a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms. This upcoming derecho is forecast to cover a broad area over several hundred miles and may also include severe hail, a few tornadoes, and heavy rainfall causing isolated flash flooding.
While the current derecho is not expected to be as severe as the 2020 derecho in Iowa, it is still crucial for residents to take precautions and stay informed. Dubberke has emphasized that this is not a drill and that everyone should take the threat seriously.
- The upcoming derecho, starting in eastern South Dakota and moving east, will potentially hit Delaware County and may cause damaging winds.
- Residents in Delaware County are advised to sign up for Delaware County Alerts for weather updates at https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=DelawareCountyAlerts.
- As a precaution, residents are urged to closely monitor the forecast and sky, especially in Iowa where the moist soil may make trees more susceptible to toppling.
- The newest weather event, a derecho, is expected to bring not only strong winds of up to 90 mph, but also severe hail, a few tornadoes, and heavy rainfall, potentially causing isolated flash flooding.
- While this derecho is not expected to reach the destructive extent of the 2020 Iowa derecho, it should not be underestimated. People are reminded by meteorologist Donna Dubberke to take the threat seriously and consider it a real emergency.
- The local radio in Iowa will broadcast weather news and emergency updates, serving as a valuable tool in staying informed during the upcoming derecho event.
