HOUSTON – For Houstonians, the derecho in May 2024 was the start of a long summer of storms. But for researchers, it was the storm they’d been waiting for the chance to study.
LOOKING BACK: Remembering the devastating Houston derecho of 2024: 1 year later
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It’s been a year since the storm moved through the heart of Houston, causing more than $1 billion in damages, killing eight people, and leaving more than a million people in the dark.
While it was a living hell for Houstonians, the derecho instantly became a popular subject among researchers eager to learn more about how these storms work and the impacts on urban areas.
That includes researchers from Florida International University, whose probe into the Houston derecho revealed eye-opening findings.
Defining a derecho
A derecho is a widespread, long-lived windstorm associated with a band of rapidly moving showers or thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.
It is characterized by straight-line winds that can exceed 58 miles per hour, causing significant damage, particularly to trees and buildings.
The winds during the Houston derecho of May 16, 2024 likely exceeded 100 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service in Houston.
The powerful storm toppled trees, shattered windows across the skyline, and left millions without power. While the city has since cleaned up and rebuilt, experts warn that a similar event could happen again.
Understanding Downbursts
Amal Elawady, an associate professor at Florida International University in Miami, explained that a derecho features downbursts, which are intense downdrafts from thunderstorms.
Downburst winds can have different impacts on buildings and infrastructure, including power lines.
“It’s kind of a very complex problem to study,” Elawady said.
A downburst is when heavier, cooler air is pulled down by a storm. The air slams into the ground and is dispersed in every direction at a high rate of speed.
To better understand these phenomena, researchers at Florida International University are trying to recreate downdrafts using the Wall of Wind, a massive system of jet fans developed to research hurricanes.
The system allows scientists to recreate the wind conditions experienced during the derecho.
Recreating The Derecho
The Wall of Wind features twelve giant fans capable of simulating Category 5 hurricane conditions.
Erik Salna, the associate director for education and outreach at FIU, noted that the facility has helped change building codes across the country over the last decade as a result of the hurricane research conducted with the Wall of Wind.
Researchers are using the Wall of Wind to mimic the conditions experienced during the Houston derecho.
The facility’s design helps create turbulence that simulates how wind moves in real storms, allowing scientists to monitor and control the testing process.
Elawady’s team designed an attachment that controls the flow of wind through the system, creating a downburst.
What Did We Learn?
The major discovery is that tall buildings in Houston, which were designed for higher wind speeds from a hurricane, suffered significant damage from the derecho.
This is because of the strong, localized winds produced during a downburst and likely amplified by a tunneling effect in the urban downtown landscape.
“The tall buildings that were designed for a higher wind speed, straight line wind speeds, they actually suffered from the derecho,” Elawady said.
Areas that specifically struggled include the cladding of buildings and windows.
“Once you have a damaged window, what happens is that you have changed the internal pressure of the building,” she said. “It’s not just about the cost of repairing the window. There could be a risk also imposed on the structure itself.
Elawady emphasized that while this does not mean downtown skyscrapers will collapse, it does suggest that current building codes may not be sufficient to protect against derechos.
Amal Elawady: “It was a clear evidence that whatever the research we are doing here is a real, is a reality that we need to take care of.”
Gage Goulding: “It’s not just Houston, this is high rises across the country?”
Amal Elawady: “This is worldwide.”
The research highlights the need for communities to become more resilient in the face of extreme weather events.
“Bottom line, we need to make all our communities across the nation more resilient,” Salna said.
That’s the answer: building better to be more resilient.
What does that look like?
Well, that’s exactly what the team at the Wall of Wind is working to solve next.
