Derecho is a huge storm that can reach 400 kilometers in size. This phenomenon travels quickly across the country, and can bring hurricane-like winds, torrential rain, and thunderstorms. The storm type is more common in the interior of the United States, but sky discoloration is rare.
The calm before the storm
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the US KNMI, the sky changes color before a storm breaks out, or sometimes during a storm. According to meteorologist Peter Rogers of the NWS, the reason is the way the sun shines on certain particles in the atmosphere, he told the New York Times.
“It must have attracted a lot of attention,” Rogers says. Green skies were more visible in and around Sioux Falls, with many residents capturing the phenomenon and posting it on social media.
According to the NWS, green may indicate that hail will fall during the storm. It didn’t happen on a large scale, but there were showers in some places. In neighboring Minnesota, a baseball-sized hailstone was found.
strong winds blowing
Derecho brought strong winds, in some places reaching speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour. Total damage from the storm is unknown, but there were no casualties near Sioux Falls, where the sky turned green. But some buildings, trees and power cables were damaged.
The states of the central United States, collectively referred to as the Great Plains, are likely to experience similar storms. In the summer of 2020, Dericho caused massive damage. Electricity was cut off for 250,000 people, and the storm killed four people.
