This week marks the one-year anniversary of the derecho that devastated the Midwest, especially Iowa. A derecho is a widespread, long-lived, straight-line wind storm that is associated with a fast-moving group of severe thunderstorms. Packing 100 mph winds and with power similar to an inland hurricane, the derecho blew trees over, flipped vehicles, and caused widespread property damage. The derecho that hit the Midwest Aug.10, 2020 brought the state of Iowa to its knees with so many downed trees and power outages that some residents were without electricity for weeks.
Within 24-48 hours Aspen Exteriors was on the ground helping homeowners figure out how to navigate the storm damage. It is estimated that 669,000 trees were destroyed, “millions of acres” of crops lost, and 8,000 homes damaged due to the hurricane force winds. The total cost in damage is now estimated at $11 billion dollars. The Iowa/Midwest derecho is the costliest single thunderstorm disaster in U.S. history.
During this time the shortage in material to help repair homes also became the perfect storm, as the mix between high-demand and low-supply came together to create a massive challenge for companies and homeowners alike.
Also this week, Cedar Rapids, Iowa is hosting a derecho anniversary ceremony this week to reflect on the damage that was done and the progress that has been made thus far and discussing their plans to replant all of the trees that were lost during the storm.
The derecho that hit Iowa on August 10th, 2020 was a disaster of epic proportions. The power of the storm can be seen in both property damage and crop loss. It is estimated to have cost $11 billion dollars. If you are looking for an expert contractor who offers high-quality customer service and materials, please contact Aspen Exteriors today and schedule a free inspection.
