Right now, we hear more about weather than ever before. Here are some little-known terms to help you with your next Zoom trivia or scrabble night.
Derecho:
Derecho means straight. Straight-line wind damage is a defining characteristic of this weather event. Derechos accompany massive thunderstorms. These storms are usually preceded by the low dark shelf clouds.
A derecho is defined as a wind-damage swath that extends more than 240 miles and has wind gusts of at least 58mph, and they are most common along the “corn belt” of the U.S.
Squall line:
AKA multicell lines, squall lines are multiple thunderstorm cells, all around the same stage of the lifecycle, such as supercell thunderstones. The strong downdrafts associated with a squall line can cause issues for aviation.
Virga:
Latin for rod or branch, they look like fuzzy rods or curtains hanging from clouds. They are shafts of precipitation that fall from the clouds but never reach the ground.
Haboob:
The name is Arabic meaning blasting. Haboobs happen worldwide. In North America, it’s mostly used for a very intense dust storm wall that is associated with the gust front of a severe thunderstorm. It can overtake a neighborhood or city in minutes, with zero visibility.
