derecholike

Derecholike is a meteorological term used to describe weather events that resemble a derecho but do not meet established official criteria for that designation. In practice, a derecholike may involve a long, quasi-linear cluster of convective storms and a broad swath of damaging straight-line winds, yet falls short of one or more thresholds used to define a derecho, such as a continuous wind-damage path exceeding 250 miles or peak wind speeds above 58 mph along the path.

The term emphasizes similarity in the underlying dynamics: organized squall lines or bow echoes, a strong rear-inflow jet, gust fronts, and extensive wind damage. However, the path length, intensity, or continuity of damage may be insufficient to classify the event as a derecho. Interruptions by terrain, gaps in convection, or slightly weaker winds can distinguish a derecholike from a true derecho.

Usage and classification remain unsettled. Derecholike is not an official category in major national severe-weather catalogs, but it appears in some meteorology literature, hazard assessments, and popular-science explanations to discuss borderline or near-miss events that share derecho-like characteristics but do not meet formal criteria.

Etymology and scope notes: the term is formed from derecho, the Spanish word for “straight,” with the suffix -like to indicate resemblance rather than equivalence. Regional usage varies, and some researchers prefer alternative phrasing such as “derecho-like wind event” to avoid implying a formal classification.

See also: derecho, mesoscale convective system, bow echo, wind damage.