Interrupting Normal Television Programming to Broadcast Ongoing Derechos

It is common in the United States for commercial television stations to break away from scheduled programs for live coverage of tornadoes and hurricanes. It is much rarer for stations to interrupt programs for severe thunderstorm events such as derechos.  

Climatologically, the eastern half of the state of South Dakota experiences moderate and high intensity (MH) derechos approximately once every one to three years (Coniglio and Stensrud 2004). But in 2022, there were two such events in the region in 54 days. During the storms, one television station interrupted programming non-stop for several hours to broadcast coverage of the derechos and their projected movement.  

While it is unusual practice to broadcast non-tornadic storms, due to the size and temporal longevity of derechos it is possible they pose a greater threat to persons and property than localized tornadoes. Post-event audience measurements confirmed there was significant viewership of the derechos, providing the public with advance notice of incoming damaging winds.