The Midwest is going through a series of alarming weather events, knocked down trees, closed roads, destroyed buildings and left more than 100,000 residents without power.
Life-threatening weather conditions, including extreme winds with a high risk of tornadoes, and record temperatures sweeping the entire region – from the Mexican border to Canada. And strong winds and dust storms were reported in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, according to the National Weather Service.
The NWS warned of a gust of more than 60 mph, with gusts of more than 80 mph from New Mexico to Michigan.
In Kansas City, Mo., NWS officials are appealing for anyone arrested outside immediately seek shelter.
ONE severe thunderstorm warning was also released in Wichita, Kan., where fierce winds of up to 70 mph slammed more power 139,000 customers of Evergy as of 6pm CST.
Dangerous high winds in Nebraska produced gusts in excess of 90 mph.
In Lincoln, Neb., A reporter from the local ABC News affiliate recorded wind scene 93 mph make a ruckus in the radio station’s parking lot.
The station also reported a strong smell of smoke and ash and smoke throughout the state. “It is believed that smoke was coming from the fires in Kansas,” according to the station.
Early in the day, warning about wind up to 70 mph, make many school officials k-12 cancel class or switch to online learning during the day. Businesses also adjusted business hours or closed in the meantime.
“There are windy days that are not typical at the end of the year in early winter,” said Shawn Rossi, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Hastings. Nebraska Public Media. “This is just a very powerful system that is being ramped up and is going to really impact our region.”
All is forecast to be one extreme wind event extending across the entire central United States from the Mexican border to Canada. A gust of 60+ mph, with gusts of up to 80 km/h, will move from NM to MI throughout the night.
National Weather Service pic.twitter.com/KYgLwoDBUE– National Weather Service (@NWS) December 15, 2021
As of 8:55 a.m., Omaha had hit a record high temperature for the day of 61°, according to the NWS report, added, “This record will be broken today by about 10°.”
The warmest temperature ever recorded in the city was in 1939 when it reached 72° in December.
NWS urges people to avoid walking because blowing dust reduces visibility to near zero.
Satellite image shows blowing dust (pink) over western Kansas spreading eastward. Strong gusts will affect all of Western Kansas to Central and South Central Kansas this afternoon. #kswx pic.twitter.com/yLOd7VZoAH
– NWS Wichita (@NWSWichita) December 15, 2021
NWS officials in Kansas Wichita issued a similar warning. Wind gusts of 60 to 85 mph spread west to east. “Blow dust can sometimes reduce visibility to less than half a mile” NWS warning.
In Colorado, gusts reached 95 mph in areas near the foothills, and officials there also warned motorists to stay off the road.
