Satellite-Based Characterization of Convection and Impacts from the Catastrophic 10 August 2020 Midwest U.S. Derecho

Jordan R. Bell; Kristopher M. Bedka; Christopher J. Schultz; Andrew L. Molthan; Sarah D. Bang; Justin Glisan; Trent Ford; W. Scott Lincoln; Lori A. Schultz; Alexander M. Melancon; Emily F. Wisinski; Kyle Itterly; Cameron R. Homeyer; Daniel J. Cecil; Craig Cogil; Rodney Donavon; Eric Lenning; Ray Wolf

doi:10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0023.1

Satellite-Based Characterization of Convection and Impacts from the Catastrophic 10 August 2020 Midwest U.S. Derecho

Jordan R. Bell, Kristopher M. Bedka, Christopher J. Schultz, Andrew L. Molthan, Sarah D. Bang, Justin Glisan, Trent Ford, W. Scott Lincoln, Lori A. Schultz, Alexander M. Melancon, Emily F. Wisinski, Kyle Itterly, Cameron R. Homeyer, Daniel J. Cecil, Craig Cogil, Rodney Donavon, Eric Lenning, Ray Wolf

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The catastrophic derecho that occurred on 10 August 2020 across the midwestern United States caused billions of dollars of damage to both urban and rural infrastructure as well as agricultural crops, most notably across the state of Iowa. This paper documents the complex evolution of the derecho through the use of low-Earth-orbit passive-microwave imager and GOES-16 satellite-derived products complemented by products derived from NEXRAD weather radar observations. Additional satellite sensors including optical imagers and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) were used to observe impacts to the power grid and agriculture in Iowa. SAR improved the identification and quantification of damaged corn and soybeans, as compared to true-color composites and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). A statistical approach to identify damaged corn and soybean crops from SAR was created with estimates of 1.97 million acres of damaged corn and 1.40 million acres of damaged soybeans in the state of Iowa. The damage estimates generated by this study were comparable to estimates produced by others after the derecho, including two commercial agricultural companies.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	E1172-E1196
Journal	Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
Volume	103
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0023.1
State	Published - Apr 2022

Keywords

Agriculture
Derecho
Lightning
Remote sensing
Satellite observations
Societal impacts

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atmospheric Science

Online availability

10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0023.1

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Bell, J. R., Bedka, K. M., Schultz, C. J., Molthan, A. L., Bang, S. D., Glisan, J., Ford, T., Lincoln, W. S., Schultz, L. A., Melancon, A. M., Wisinski, E. F., Itterly, K., Homeyer, C. R., Cecil, D. J., Cogil, C., Donavon, R., Lenning, E., & Wolf, R. (2022). Satellite-Based Characterization of Convection and Impacts from the Catastrophic 10 August 2020 Midwest U.S. Derecho. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 103(4), E1172-E1196. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0023.1

Bell, JR, Bedka, KM, Schultz, CJ, Molthan, AL, Bang, SD, Glisan, J, Ford, T, Lincoln, WS, Schultz, LA, Melancon, AM, Wisinski, EF, Itterly, K, Homeyer, CR, Cecil, DJ, Cogil, C, Donavon, R, Lenning, E & Wolf, R 2022, 'Satellite-Based Characterization of Convection and Impacts from the Catastrophic 10 August 2020 Midwest U.S. Derecho', Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, vol. 103, no. 4, pp. E1172-E1196. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0023.1

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title = "Satellite-Based Characterization of Convection and Impacts from the Catastrophic 10 August 2020 Midwest U.S. Derecho",

abstract = "The catastrophic derecho that occurred on 10 August 2020 across the midwestern United States caused billions of dollars of damage to both urban and rural infrastructure as well as agricultural crops, most notably across the state of Iowa. This paper documents the complex evolution of the derecho through the use of low-Earth-orbit passive-microwave imager and GOES-16 satellite-derived products complemented by products derived from NEXRAD weather radar observations. Additional satellite sensors including optical imagers and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) were used to observe impacts to the power grid and agriculture in Iowa. SAR improved the identification and quantification of damaged corn and soybeans, as compared to true-color composites and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). A statistical approach to identify damaged corn and soybean crops from SAR was created with estimates of 1.97 million acres of damaged corn and 1.40 million acres of damaged soybeans in the state of Iowa. The damage estimates generated by this study were comparable to estimates produced by others after the derecho, including two commercial agricultural companies.",

keywords = "Agriculture, Derecho, Lightning, Remote sensing, Satellite observations, Societal impacts",

author = "Bell, {Jordan R.} and Bedka, {Kristopher M.} and Schultz, {Christopher J.} and Molthan, {Andrew L.} and Bang, {Sarah D.} and Justin Glisan and Trent Ford and Lincoln, {W. Scott} and Schultz, {Lori A.} and Melancon, {Alexander M.} and Wisinski, {Emily F.} and Kyle Itterly and Homeyer, {Cameron R.} and Cecil, {Daniel J.} and Craig Cogil and Rodney Donavon and Eric Lenning and Ray Wolf",

note = "Acknowledgments. The authors thank the NASA Applied Sciences Disasters Program award (18-DISASTER18-0008), which provided the funding for this work. The authors express a sincere thanks to colleagues at the Iowa and Illinois State Climatologist Offices; the National Weather Service Offices in Des Moines, Davenport, and Chicago; and the Alaska Satellite Facility. Finally, the authors express their gratitude to the reviewers who took time to provide input and comments to strengthen this manuscript.",

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AU - Bell, Jordan R.

AU - Bedka, Kristopher M.

AU - Schultz, Christopher J.

AU - Molthan, Andrew L.

AU - Bang, Sarah D.

AU - Glisan, Justin

AU - Ford, Trent

AU - Lincoln, W. Scott

AU - Schultz, Lori A.

AU - Melancon, Alexander M.

AU - Wisinski, Emily F.

AU - Itterly, Kyle

AU - Homeyer, Cameron R.

AU - Cecil, Daniel J.

AU - Cogil, Craig

AU - Donavon, Rodney

AU - Lenning, Eric

AU - Wolf, Ray

N1 - Acknowledgments. The authors thank the NASA Applied Sciences Disasters Program award (18-DISASTER18-0008), which provided the funding for this work. The authors express a sincere thanks to colleagues at the Iowa and Illinois State Climatologist Offices; the National Weather Service Offices in Des Moines, Davenport, and Chicago; and the Alaska Satellite Facility. Finally, the authors express their gratitude to the reviewers who took time to provide input and comments to strengthen this manuscript.

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N2 - The catastrophic derecho that occurred on 10 August 2020 across the midwestern United States caused billions of dollars of damage to both urban and rural infrastructure as well as agricultural crops, most notably across the state of Iowa. This paper documents the complex evolution of the derecho through the use of low-Earth-orbit passive-microwave imager and GOES-16 satellite-derived products complemented by products derived from NEXRAD weather radar observations. Additional satellite sensors including optical imagers and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) were used to observe impacts to the power grid and agriculture in Iowa. SAR improved the identification and quantification of damaged corn and soybeans, as compared to true-color composites and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). A statistical approach to identify damaged corn and soybean crops from SAR was created with estimates of 1.97 million acres of damaged corn and 1.40 million acres of damaged soybeans in the state of Iowa. The damage estimates generated by this study were comparable to estimates produced by others after the derecho, including two commercial agricultural companies.

AB - The catastrophic derecho that occurred on 10 August 2020 across the midwestern United States caused billions of dollars of damage to both urban and rural infrastructure as well as agricultural crops, most notably across the state of Iowa. This paper documents the complex evolution of the derecho through the use of low-Earth-orbit passive-microwave imager and GOES-16 satellite-derived products complemented by products derived from NEXRAD weather radar observations. Additional satellite sensors including optical imagers and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) were used to observe impacts to the power grid and agriculture in Iowa. SAR improved the identification and quantification of damaged corn and soybeans, as compared to true-color composites and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). A statistical approach to identify damaged corn and soybean crops from SAR was created with estimates of 1.97 million acres of damaged corn and 1.40 million acres of damaged soybeans in the state of Iowa. The damage estimates generated by this study were comparable to estimates produced by others after the derecho, including two commercial agricultural companies.

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Satellite-Based Characterization of Convection and Impacts from the Catastrophic 10 August 2020 Midwest U.S. Derecho

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