Here We Go Again: Heavy Winds Hit The Plains

The evacuation order came at 6:33 Central Time on Wednesday morning. People living between the small towns of Westport and Oak Grove, near Mannford, Oklahoma, were told to flee as high winds fueled wildfires. Coming just days after wildfires killed at least four and caused numerous accidents across the state, the new evacuation orders triggered fears that yet another round of disaster might be in the forecast.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued high wind warnings and blowing dust advisories from Texas to California, with gusts expected to reach as high as 90 mph in some areas. These extreme conditions prompted widespread safety warnings, as the potential for downed power lines, flying debris, and hazardous driving conditions continued to grow. Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Iowa joined California and Texas in tying down outdoor furniture and removing anything that might cause fires to spread.

“Remain in the lower levels of your home during the windstorm, and avoid windows. Watch for falling debris and tree limbs. Use caution if you must drive,” the NWS office in Topeka, Kansas stated in its high wind warning.

AccuWeather meteorologist Tyler Roys told Newsweek: “The dangers associated with these winds include blowing dust leading to poor air quality and poor visibility which will lead to travel delays. The stronger the winds the more likely that a tractor-trailer gets blown over, like what was seen last Friday. This again will lead to travel delays. Crosswinds will also impact travel either in vehicle or rail or air modes. Also, people should not tailgate while driving in case they get caught in blowing dust. Blowing dust as mentioned above will quickly lower the visibility and the chances for a car crash or for a multi-car pile-up increases rapidly.”

For the residents of Westport and Oak Grove, a reunification center was set up at a church in Mannford while they wait to see what happens to their property. The high wind warnings were expected to continue through today, followed by a severe cold front that could cause heavy snow across the Northern parts of the affected area.