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Intense derecho windstorm sweeps through Iowa; significant damage reported

An intense storm event called a derecho, packing sustained winds of 75 to 100 miles per hour, tore through the state of Iowa Monday.

Iowa State Climatologist Justin Glisan says the damage to trees, buildings and crops is significant—and widespread.

“North to south, I would say it’s pretty much three-quarters of the state—and it’s moving due east,” Glisan says. “When you get these straight-line wind events, and derechos specifically, they’re self-perpetuating. So they can go hundreds and hundreds of miles, and that’s what we’re seeing today.”

As of mid-afternoon Monday, the derecho event had moved into Illinois.  Glisan says it could eventually impact northern Indiana and Ohio as it moves east.