Corn damaged field by derecho storm in IowaThough it was only around for about 14 hours, the nine-state, 770-mile path of the derecho storm system that carved a swath through the western and central Corn Belt in early August is now understood to be the most costly inland thunderstorm system in history. The storm’s price tag has surpassed $7.5 billion, leaving extensive damage to crops, homes and other structures in its path including as much as 90% of the structures in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The latest USDA tally indicates 850,000 acres of crops were lost, a number that’s grown by 50% since data collection started after the storm. See more on the storm’s damage.