derecho

n. a type of strong, ground-level prairie wind caused by rapidly descending cold air and characterized by a straight, horiziontal advance. Subjects: Spanish, United States, Science

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Citations: 1890 Chicago Daily Tribune (Mar. 30) “Predictions of Tornadoes” p. 12: If genuine tornadoes were not developed there were violent squalls or the peculiar storm styled by Prof. Hinrichs the “derecho,” or straight-blow. 1893 Mark W. Harrington Los Angeles Times (Apr. 16) “Tornadoes: What They Are; Where and When They Occur” p. 18: The third form appears rather as horizontal than as vertical whirls. They appear to be what Dr. Hinrichs has called derechoes (from derecho, straight) and advance in the form of a horizontal roll of dust. The front extends in length as they advance, so that the territory they pass over is fan-shaped, instead of the strap-shaped area of the tornado proper. 1993 Chris Burbach Omaha World-Herald (Neb.) (July 16) “Errant Weather Systems Make Misery”: On the evening of July 8, cool air made heavy by rain crashed earthward at tremendous speed in central Nebraska, said Pollack, the weather service meteorologist. The descending air touched off a weather phenomenon known as a derecho, he said. The cool air caused the big winds, Pollack said. After it hit the ground, the air spread out, blowing wind in front of the thunderstorms and causing more thunderstorms. 2004 Hayli Fellwock Bowling Green Daily News (Ky.) (July 14) “Storms, damage return”: Tuesday night’s storm was called a “derecho,” the Spanish word for huge wind event, according to Benjamin Schott, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Louisville. The winds ranged between 60 to 80 mph, Schott said.

Posted 15 Jul 04 | Permalink | Tell a Friend