What is a derecho? Tips on how to better prepare your business

Severe weather events can unleash devastating consequences on businesses, leading to substantial financial losses and potential safety hazards. Derechos stand out as powerful forces capable of wreaking havoc across large areas.

What is a derecho?

A derecho is a long-lived, straight-line windstorm characterized by intense thunderstorm activity. Derechos bring torrential rain, large hail and frequent lightning. However, their most distinguishing feature is the presence of severe, damaging winds, with speeds reaching 60-100 mph or more.

Derechos leave behind a trail of destruction

The impact of derecho on businesses can be substantial. To better understand their effects, let's examine how they impact various industry sectors such as manufacturing, construction and outdoor events.

• Manufacturing: Derechos can wreak havoc on manufacturing facilities. High winds can cause severe damage to structures, disrupt production lines and make equipment inoperable. The resulting downtime leads to costly repairs, delays in production, decreased output and potential customer dissatisfaction.
• Construction: Construction projects are particularly vulnerable to derechos. These storms can cause scaffolding to collapse, scatter materials, and even compromise partially built structures, leading to safety hazards for workers. This could also lead to project delays and increased costs.
• Outdoor Events: Derechos pose a significant risk to outdoor events such as festivals, concerts and sports gatherings. Strong winds can damage temporary structures, stages and equipment, putting event attendees and participants at risk. Event cancellations or disruptions disappoint attendees and result in financial losses for organizers, vendors and the local economy.

Being prepared for the impact of derecho events on business operations is essential. It is a good idea to make sure you have an emergency and business continuity plan in place. If you don’t have these plans, AccuWeather For Business can help you create them or help you update your current plans. Contact our expert to schedule a consultation.

Be better prepared with AccuWeather For Business

Is your business ready for the next big storm? Let AccuWeather For Business keep you better prepared. AccuWeather's SkyGuard® Warnings, backed by Superior Accuracy™, can deliver site-specific alerts and warnings before severe weather hits, giving you much-needed time to put your emergency plans into place. Want to learn more? Demo SkyGuard today.