What you need to know about derechos, an uncommon and destructive weather event

Climate-Derecho-Explainer - (Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Prolonged wind events that unleash heavy rainfall and travel far distances sometimes qualify as derechos.

Derechos can happen almost anywhere in the United States but are most common in the central and eastern regions of the country. Winds typically gust over 60 mph (97 kmh) and can cause damage comparable to tornadoes or hurricanes.