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A derecho is a huge storm complex that can be up to 400 kilometers long. The phenomenon moves quickly across the country and can bring tornado-like gusts of wind, torrential rains and thunderstorms. This type of weather is more common inside the United States, but sky discoloration is rare.
Calm before the storm
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the American KNMI, the sky changes color before the showers break out, or sometimes during the storm. According to NWS meteorologist Peter Rogers, it’s because of the way the sun shines on certain particles in the atmosphere, he says The New York Times†
“It must have gotten a lot of attention,” Rogers says. The green skies were most visible in and around the town of Sioux Falls, where many residents captured the phenomenon and posted it on social media.
According to the NWS, the green color may indicate that hail is about to fall. It didn’t happen on a large scale, but there were showers in some places. In neighboring Minnesota, a baseball-sized hailstone was discovered.
strong gusts of wind
The derecho brought strong gusts of wind, in some places reaching speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour. The total damage is unknown, but there were no casualties near Sioux Falls, where skies turned green. However, some buildings, trees and electric cables were damaged.
The central states of the United States, collectively called the Great Plains, are more likely to experience similar weather events. In the summer of 2020, a derecho caused enormous damage. 250,000 people were without electricity, resulting in four deaths.
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