A Look Back At The Iowa Derecho August 10th 2020 [Photos]

A year ago today a major storm struck Iowa. It felt like it came out of nowhere and was a shock for many of us. I was working in the Quad Cities at the time and was living in Cedar Rapids.

After the storm hit, and we did some quick clean-up (clearing tree branches off my car.) I drove home and was shocked by all the damage I saw.

The storm followed along from Cedar Rapids to the Quad Cities and many other areas.

On August 10–11, 2020, a powerful derecho swept across the Midwestern United States — predominantly eastern Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. It caused high winds and spawned an outbreak of weak tornadoes. Some areas reported torrential rain and large hail.

Damage was moderate to severe across much of the affected area, as sustained wind speeds of 70 miles per hour (110 kilometers per hour; 31 meters per second) were prevalent. The greatest damage occurred in eastern Iowa, and northern Illinois, where multiple tornadoes touched down.

Since Cedar Rapids and the Quad Cities were hit I saw a lot of damage on my way home. There was also a lot of stress behind finding gas since multiple stations were closed due to the storm.

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Many Iowans are sharing their stories about the derecho. If you have one you'd like to share let us know.

While this storm was awful, and a tragedy for many, it brought out the best in many Iowans. Countless people gave a helping hand to their fellow Iowans. the slogan "together we rise" was used a lot, and it rang true for many.

As we look back on this storm and remember the hard times, it's also important to remember those who went out of their way to help others who got the worst of the storm. When tragedies hit strong communities rise, and Iowa is that in 2020, and will again if it is ever needed.