A shelf cloud along the leading edge of a derecho photographed in
Minnesota

A
derecho (
/dəˈreɪtʃoʊ/;
Spanish pronunciation: [deˈɾetʃo]) is a widespread and long-lived,
straight-line windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of
severe thunderstorms. Generally, derechos are
convection-induced and take on a
bow echo form of
squall line, forming in an area of divergence in the upper levels of the troposphere, within a region of low-level warm air advection and rich low-level moisture. They travel quickly in the direction of movement of their associated storms, similar to an
outflow boundary (gust front), except that the
windis
sustained and increases in strength behind the
front, generally exceeding hurricane-force. A warm-weather phenomenon, derechos occur mostly in
summer, especially during June and July in the
Northern Hemisphere, within areas of moderately strong
instability and moderately strong vertical
wind shear. They may occur at any time of the year and occur as frequently at night as during the daylight hours.
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