The Storm of August 10th 2020

Thinking it was just another normal Midwest storm, I was certainly mistaken. Everyday, before classes started, my friends and I would enjoy the beautiful weather. Playing any sport and activities we had on our minds, we didn't care what time of the day it was, we were going to do it. Hearing that there might be a vigorous storm the next day, we didn't think much of it and kept planning our next event.

On August 10th, the hurricane, also known as “Derecho”, hit Iowa. The storm formed in Nebraska and swept to Indiana, but Iowa was hit the hardest with 110-140 mph wind. The gusts destroyed powerlines, buildings, and landscapes. Forty percent of the corn and soybean crops in this "agricultural state" were damaged by the blows. In the Cedar Rapids area, it also destroyed at least half of the trees and caused a blackout for a week. All this destruction across the states added up to a damage estimation of $11 billion dollars. Being in the “hard-hit city” Coe College couldn’t have prepared for this storm.

Coe College already allowed students to move in because of sports and other commitments they had to be on campus for. I was there because I'm apart of the Coe College soccer team, which needed to arrive a week early. Classes weren’t starting until August 20th, so two-third of the scholars hadn’t arrived. Hearing about the storm that was going to hit their city, they warned everyone on campus to be safe; they couldn’t have imagined how reckless the “hurricane” was going to act. My friends and I perceived the rainfall to just be like the others so our minds acted like it was just a sunny day. In the morning on August 10th, the skies were bright blue. All the students carried out their day in normalcy, but the tides changed around 1:00 o’clock. Getting lunch to bring back to the dorms, I was in the cafeteria when the skies turned a dark dusty green with grey cumulonimbus clouds. I was just about to walk out the door when the wind decided to pick up. Out of the large window at the front, everyone examined the gusts smacking the glass with violence. At this point, tiny and hefty tree branches began to hit all the windows. With concern for safety, the lunch servers declared everyone to get back into the kitchen all the way to the pantry. Not knowing how rough the storm would get, I gladly followed everyone to the back.

Crammed like sardines into a cafeteria cupboard, we all waited for them to say it was okay to come back out. To our surprise, we wouldn’t be let out for an hour. Even though it was stuffy and sweltering hot, students were talking amongst themselves and playing games. Finally, one of the servers announced everyone to go back to the eating area. Thinking that we would be exiting the building soon, everyone was excited to finally get out of the tiny pantry. Through the windows, we were able to examine the wreckage outside. Tree debris and other miscellaneous items were piled against the glasses. At this time, word went around that we had to stay in the room until it was safe outside, which would take another two hours.

After everyone was bothered about how long we waited, we finally were let out of the dining hall building. Walking out, everyone's mouths dropped and phones were held up recording or taking pictures of the mess that Coe College was in.

Around the whole campus, over 200 trees were uprooted or pushed to their side. Students and faculty could not believe what they were witnessing. 

After everyone collected their thoughts, made sure everyone they knew and everything they possessed were safe, they came out to help fix up the campus. Groups of students were raking, pushing trees out the way, helping people get their cars out under tree branches or whole trees, and collecting the debris that flew around the campus. 

The Derecho was a terrifying time for people to experience and was physically damaging to Coe College. However, people came together, not feeling like they were in a pandemic for a little bit, and assisted Coe College to get right back to normal. The storm that hit on August 10th in 2020 will be remembered by many because of how much distortions it caused, but also because to achieve one big goal.