A derecho is not quite a hurricane. It has no eye and its winds come across in a line. But the damage it is likely to do spread over such a large area is more like an inland hurricane than a quick more powerful tornado, Marsh said.

Authorities in the U.S. Midwest used boats and large vehicles to rescue and evacuate residents on Saturday.

Residents in the American Midwest will finally see some relief from a rare May snowstorm.