DOE Launched Study of Midwestern Storm Formation

The two-year research campaign aims to improve severe weather predictions across the American Midwest.

Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Forecasts

DOE Launched Study of Midwestern Storm Formation

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The Department of Energy has initiated a research project dubbed DERECHOS to investigate storm formation in the Midwest. The study utilizes atmospheric instruments placed across a corridor stretching from Ames, Iowa, to Chicago, Illinois.

Why it matters

The campaign seeks to enhance the accuracy of severe weather prediction models by analyzing land-atmosphere interactions. Insights gained from this data will help scientists develop high-resolution storm formation projections.

The DERECHOS field campaign operates around the clock, with instruments collecting data 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the two-year duration. Researchers are deploying specialized equipment at Muscatine Island Research Farm and three regional universities.

The players

Department of Energy

This federal agency manages energy policy and supports scientific research through its Office of Science.

Iowa State University

This public research university serves as a primary site for the campaign's atmospheric instrumentation.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This institution is a participating site hosting equipment for the regional weather study.

Northern Illinois University

This public university contributes its campus facilities to house instruments for the storm research project.

The details

The project relies on the Energy Exascale Earth System Model and advanced artificial intelligence to synthesize collected data. Atmospheric instruments are positioned at Iowa State University, Northern Illinois University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to map local land-atmosphere interactions.

The two-year field campaign is scheduled to run from 2026 to 2028.
The Department of Energy officially announced the project on September 30, 2026.

Seasonal Patterns

This research initiative builds upon the predictive capabilities of the Energy Exascale Earth System Model by integrating ground-level data collection. The project represents a significant shift toward using artificial intelligence to refine historical severe weather modeling in the Midwest.

While the current study is an academic data collection effort, the resulting models will eventually lead to more precise severe weather warnings for local residents. These advancements are intended to improve public safety by offering earlier and more granular alerts for extreme events.

The takeaway

This project underscores a commitment to integrating machine learning into environmental science to better understand volatile atmospheric patterns. Residents living in the studied corridor can expect improvements in meteorological modeling precision over the next two years.