this post was submitted on 15 Jun 2023
20 points (100.0% liked)

Today I Learned (TIL)

7928 readers
3 users here now

You learn something new every day; what did you learn today?

/c/til is a community for any true knowledge that you would like to share, regardless of topic or of source.

Share your knowledge and experience!

Rules

founded 3 years ago
MODERATORS
 

"The storm has no eye, and its powerful winds come across in a line. That can cause widespread overall damage and smaller pockets of severe damage.

To be classified as a derecho by the National Weather Service, the storms must have wind gusts of 57 mph or greater and wind damage from the storm must span at least 400 miles."

top 13 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

There was a nasty one that went through Ottawa in May 2022. Devastated the power grid, trees, widespread roof damage. A big house near me lost a 30x60 piece of roof.

No power at my house for 2 weeks.

Do not anger the derecho spirits...repent!

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

One of them knocked over my beehive tree and crushed our truck when I was little

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yikes, I'm sorry. I assume a "beehive tree" is a tree with a beehive on it? Do you get honey from that?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

There was in fact honey inside but it was a wild beehive in a hollow maple tree next to the driveway.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

That's cool, I like bees. Sad that the derecho took them out.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Yea, I like honeybees. The next door neighbor noted there was thousands of dead bees on his deck, it seems they left the tree when it fell and got splattered against the side of the house.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Oh noooo, poor bees. I'm seriously going to plant a flowering plant in their honor this weekend. I was going to do it anyway, but now it's to memorialize your bees.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

@ickplant Fun fact: derecho has many meanings in spanish. One of them is "straight". Not in the sense of sexual preference.

More like in the sense of follow directions.
Example: "Si usted camina derecho encontrará los baños".
Which translates as "If you walk straight, you'll see the restrooms".

Source: I'm a native spanish speaker.
That's probably why they call those storms derecho, because they go straight. Also it gives a justification to learn a new language.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

I was guessing that was the case, thank you for confirming!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

The Midwest US had a big derecho that blew through a couple years ago and knocked over probably half the trees in my part of the state. Some communities were without power for weeks, it was a mess.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Damn, that's wild. I'm in CO, and apparently we've only ever had one. It's too dry here and the mountains break them up.