Derecho-favoring atmospheric environments in Finland: characteristics, identification criteria, and frequency trends

Rantala, Oskari; Räisänen, Jouni A.; Rauhala, Jenni; Bister, Marja

doi:10.5194/wcd-7-1571-2026

Articles | Volume 7, issue 3

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-1571-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-1571-2026

© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 7, issue 3

Research article

|

28 Aug 2026

Research article |

| 28 Aug 2026

Derecho-favoring atmospheric environments in Finland: characteristics, identification criteria, and frequency trends

Oskari Rantala, Jouni A. Räisänen, Jenni Rauhala, and Marja Bister

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/wcd-7-1571-2026-supplement

Data sets

Complete ERA5 from 1940: Fifth generation of ECMWF atmospheric reanalyses of the global climate Hans Hersbach et al. https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.143582cf

Model code and software

Python code for the manuscript "Derecho-favoring atmospheric environments in Finland: characteristics, identification criteria, and frequency trends" (Version v2) Oskari Rantala et al. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20797398

Short summary

Derechos are widespread long-lasting windstorms associated with thunderstorms. They can cause damage comparable to tornadoes. Using data from derechos in Finland and results from earlier studies, we develop three criteria sets to identify atmospheric conditions favoring derecho formation in Finland. Application of these criteria sets to historical data shows that conditions favoring derechos have become more common in Finland during the recent decades.