Cort Scholten

May 30, 2024 | fox17online.com | Haleigh Vaughn |Cort Scholten

WEST MICHIGAN — In the early morning hours of May 31 in 1998, West Michigan was struck by a destructive derecho. This Friday marks 26 years since the historic event. According to the National Weather Service, a derecho is defined as a widespread, long-lived wind storm that is associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms. A derecho can often produce destruction similar to a tornado. Instead of rotating winds, a derecho produces straight-line wind damage.