Timeline: How the derecho arrived in the Quad Cities

MOLINE, Ill. — The Quad Cities area fell victim to the most expensive storm in U.S. history on Aug. 10, 2020. The derecho came into the News 8 viewing area that Monday afternoon with 70 mph winds.  

The storm originated from a system of severe thunderstorms in northern Nebraska and southeast South Dakota that morning, ultimately spanning 90,000 square miles and impacting more than 20 million people as it made its way across the Midwest.  

In total, the derecho cost more than $11.2 billion in damages, taking down crops, trees, power lines, and buildings.

The first counties in our viewing area started reporting high winds shortly before 1 p.m.  Cedar County logged 70 mph winds at 12:51 p.m. Henry County reported 58 mph winds at 12:55 p.m. 

RELATED: National Weather Service new destructive, severe thunderstorm alert explained

The following timeline is from storm observations reported to the National Weather Service on Monday, August 10, 2020:

(List is organized based on times and when the storm first made its way into each county.)

Cedar County, Iowa

12:51 p.m. - 70 mph winds in West Branch.

1 p.m. - 61 mph winds 2 miles west of Lime City.

1:05 p.m. - Large tree branches blew off trees with an estimate of 60 mph winds in Lowden.

1:12 p.m. - Tree limbs down everywhere in Bennett.

RELATED: The derecho could cost Iowa soybean farmers big in the 2021 harvest

Jones County, Iowa 

1 p.m. -

• Large tree limbs and fences are down in Olin.
• Widespread trees, power lines and limbs down around the county.

1:30 p.m. - Old hickory tree and 18-inch diameter tree broken halfway up. 

Muscatine County, Iowa 

1 p.m. - Large tree down about 1 mile north-northeast of Muscatine.

1:05 p.m. -

• 75 mph wind gusts in Muscatine.
• Downed trees and an amateur radio operator tower down two miles east-northeast of Muscatine.
• Several large tree branches down as well as several power flashes in West Liberty.

1:15 p.m. - 58 mph wind gusts at the Muscatine Airport.

1:30 p.m. - Trees down and damage to an outbuilding north of Wildcat Den State Park.

Scott County, Iowa 

1:15 p.m. - Tree damage around Dixon, large tree limbs and trees down.

1:23 p.m. - Flagpole bent over two miles southwest of Davenport.

1:25 p.m. - 60 knot (69 mph) wind gust at the Davenport Municipal Airport.

1:26 p.m. - 75 mph wind gust in Davenport.

1:28 p.m. - 

• Large tree uprooted and laying across a yard; large limbs down in the street, two miles west-southwest of Bettendorf.
• Multiple trees down with very strong winds, one mile northwest of Eldridge.

1:30 p.m. - Large trees down in Bettendorf.

1:45 p.m. - 

• 86 mph wind gusts at the Davenport Airport.
• Numerous tree limbs were down around the airport, including a three-foot wide sycamore tree that was partly rotted.
• Power pole snapped near the airport entrance.

1:47 p.m. - Multiple semis blown over on Highway 61, 1 mile west-southwest of Mount Joy.

1:52 p.m. - 68 mph wind gust, one mile north-northwest of Bettendorf.

1:58 p.m. - Eight-inch branch snapped and numerous additional tree damage 1 mile west of Riverdale.

2:02 p.m. - 60 to 70 mph winds estimated in Park View.

Des Moines County, Iowa 

1:22 p.m. - 60 mph wind gusts at the Burlington Regional Airport.

1:24 p.m. - 6-inch tree limbs down across power lines in Danville.

1:27 p.m. - Tree branches down all over in Mediapolis.

1:30 p.m. - Trees down across the road, one mile east of West Burlington.

Rock Island County, Illinois 

1:28 p.m. - 

• 60 mph wind gusts three miles west-northwest of Oak Grove.
• 68 mph wind gusts at Quad City International Airport.

1:30 p.m. - Tree that's 1 foot in diameter snapped, 2 miles south-southwest of Coal Valley.

1:35 p.m. - 

• 77 mph wind gusts at the Quad City International Airport.
• Large tree limbs down and on top of homes one mile southwest of Silvis.

1:44 p.m. - Tree limbs down near SouthPark Mall in Moline.

1:45 p.m. Trees down in Port Byron.

1:48 p.m. - 79 mph wind gusts at the Quad City International Airport.

1:50 p.m. - Powerlines and trees down in Rock Island and Moline.

Mercer County, Illinois 

1:33 p.m. - An old barn and outbuildings' roofs were ripped off in Preemption.

Warren County, Illinois 

1:40 p.m. - A few trees and power lines are down near Little York.

1:50 p.m. - Several trees and power lines are down in town near Monmouth.

Clinton County, Iowa 

1:45 p.m. - 69 mph winds at the Clinton Airport.

1:47 p.m. - Significant roof damage at radio station KMCN, roofing and insulation materials blown into the adjacent field.

2 p.m. - 

• Reports of trees, limbs, and power lines down around the county.
• 74 mph wind gusts at the Clinton Airport.

Jo Daviess County, Illinois 

1:46 p.m. - 

• 60 to 70 mph wind gusts.
• Tree, 6 inches in diameter, is downed near Nora.

Henry County, Illinois 

1:53 p.m. - Two large tree limbs down in a yard in Geneseo.

2:15 p.m. - 

• Several tree limbs snapped in Kewanee.
• Trampoline was blown over onto its side in Kewanee.

Mercer County, Illinois 

2 p.m. - 4-to-6-inch tree limb down in Cable.

Whiteside County, Illinois 

2:15 p.m. - Tree limbs down in Morrison, between 4-6 inches in diameter or larger.

Bureau County, Illinois 

2:30 p.m. - Tree branches down between three to four inches near Lombardville.