# Destructive Derecho Threat Unfolds Across Central U.S. Through Friday

About this episode

The episode discusses a severe weather outbreak in the central U.S. with the potential for a destructive derecho.

Listeners, right now across the central United States, a massive severe weather outbreak is unfolding with the potential for a destructive derecho. Max Velocity Severe Weather Center reports in their April 15 forecast that widespread severe thunderstorms are firing from northern Wisconsin down to Texas, packing damaging winds up to 80 mph, very large hail, and strong tornadoes, especially today and through Friday. These storms are rapidly organizing into lines capable of producing a **derecho**—a long-lived, fast-moving windstorm with straight-line gusts over 58 mph across more than 250 miles. FOX11 Online explains that derechos cause broader damage than tornadoes because their winds batter huge areas, sometimes spanning states, unlike the narrow paths of twisters. The Storm Prediction Center outlines high risks today from Texas to the Great Lakes, focused on Oklahoma and Iowa, with storms expected to upscale quickly into squall lines by afternoon. Max Velocity notes initial discrete supercells near Des Moines and Davenport could spawn 3-inch hail and tornadoes as early as 1 PM, clustering into wind machines by evening, slamming Illinois, Wisconsin, and Chicago areas. Friday…

Topics covered

• severe weather
• derecho
• thunderstorms
• tornadoes
• windstorm
• weather forecast

Keywords

• derecho
• severe weather
• thunderstorms
• tornadoes
• wind gusts
• hail
• weather forecast

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Max Velocity Severe Weather Center

Places: Central United States, Texas, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois, Chicago, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri

More episodes of Derecho

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• # Derecho Tears Through Upper Midwest with 112 mph Winds, Leaving 400,000 Without Power · June 11, 2026 · 5 min
• # Powerful Windstorm Batters Central Plains, Narrowly Missing Derecho Classification · June 9, 2026 · 4 min
• # Powerful Derecho-Like Windstorm Batters Central U.S. with Damaging Straight-Line Winds · June 6, 2026 · 5 min
• # Powerful Midwest Windstorm Approaches Derecho Status, Leaves Hundreds of Thousands Without Power · June 4, 2026 · 5 min
• # Powerful Derecho Brings Hurricane-Force Winds Across Central and Eastern U.S. · May 21, 2026 · 4 min