On Friday, brutal winds ripped through Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Kansas, causing pandemonium with gusts of nearly 100 mph, toppling semi-trucks, sparking disastrous wildfires, and creating blinding dust storms.
According to AccuWeather, severe winds, with gusts reaching 95 mph in New Mexico and 83 mph in Texas, caused significant disruption, leaving thousands without electricity and causing major traffic jams.
“I’ve never seen such a large area of 70-mph wind gusts,” said AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno.
Dramatic video footage from Amarillo revealed the full ferocity of the winds, with 18-wheelers being tossed over on Interstate 40 like toys. A storm chaser screamed, “There goes another one,” as another truck was destroyed by the gale-force winds.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Amarillo issued dust storm warnings, citing near-zero visibility. “Be extremely cautious out there,” they cautioned on social media.
AccuWeather reported that the mix of wind and dust caused many pileups around the region, including a big incident on Interstate 27 south of Canyon, Texas, involving dozens of automobiles. In Oklahoma, at least six persons were injured in crashes on Interstate 35 due to blowing dust. Authorities advised motorists to avoid all travel unless absolutely necessary.
Wind gusts reached 84 mph in Friona, Texas, and 82 mph in Dimmitt, along with a dust storm that prompted the closure of Highway 194. near New Mexico, winds reached 95 mph near San Agustin Pass.
Texas has nearly 100,000 customers without power, while Oklahoma has 73,000, Kansas has 24,000, and New Mexico has 6,000.
“This is about as an extreme event as there can be,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg. Satellite imagery from MyRadar showed dozens of fires erupting across Oklahoma, with strong winds and reduced visibility hindering firefighting efforts.
“Friday’s wildfire risk covers a large part of the southern Rockies and High Plains and is forecast to reach extreme levels from eastern New Mexico and northwestern Texas through central Oklahoma,” Lundberg added. The wildfire risk is expected to peak on Friday before easing over the weekend.
Authorities across Texas urged residents to stay indoors if possible, emphasizing the severity of the weather conditions.
