Monday, April 28, 2025
UNITED STATES – A massive storm system moved across the United States and unleashed winds that triggered deadly dust storms and over 100 wildfires, with nearly 300 homes damaged or destroyed in Oklahoma, due to fire, on Friday/Saturday, March 14-15. Significant tornadoes continued to hit Saturday, with the region at highest risk stretching from eastern Louisiana and Mississippi through Alabama, western Georgia and the Florida panhandle. Missouri recorded more fatalities than any other state as scattered twisters overnight killed at least 12, authorities said. The deaths included a man whose home was ripped apart by a tornado.
Extreme weather conditions were forecast to affect an area that is home to more than 100 million people. Winds gusting up to 80 mph (130 kph) were predicted from the Canadian border to Texas, threatening blizzard conditions in colder northern areas and wildfire risk in warmer, drier places to the south.
The National Weather Service issued blizzard warnings for parts of far western Minnesota and far eastern South Dakota starting early Saturday. Snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15.2 centimeters) were expected, with up to a foot (30 centimeters) possible.
Winds gusting to 60 mph (97 kph) were expected to cause whiteout conditions.
Fire crews in Yates Center, in southeast Kansas, worked to extinguish a Yates Center Health and Rehab fire to a nursing home, in Woodson County.
In Cowley County, Emergency Management confirmed that a grass fire near Winfield had been contained, after evacuations were about to be issued.
Fire units in Reno County were busy with several grass fires.
Pretty Prairie Fire was dispatched to K14/NE 20th St in Kingman County for a grass fire. Approximately 80-100 acres burned along with several hay bales. Mutual aid was requested from Cheney and Kingman Fire.
Pretty Prairie Fire was notified of a grass fire at K14/Pleasant Valley. Due to their units already responding to a call a few minutes prior, Reno County Fire Districts 4, 8, & 9 were requested along with a Reno County Task Force. Approximately 20 acres of pasture burned.
Units with Buhler and Hutch Fire along with Fire District 9 responded to the 10,000 block of east 30th for a grass fire. Units arrived quick and were able to contain the fire to a small area keeping it from becoming a large incident.
Fire Districts 3, 4, and Hutch Fire responded to the 800 block of south Fairview Rd for a brush fire. Crews found an acre of pasture burning.
The cause of these fires is unknown at this time.
Along with these fires units also responded to several electrical hazard calls and smoke in the area calls.
Some conditions prompted the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) to issue an air quality health advisory due to dust and smoke.
“These winds are transporting dust and smoke from wildfires in Oklahoma and a few in Eastern Kansas into the area,” KDHE said. “The Air Quality Index (AQI) will likely range from Unhealthy to perhaps Hazardous at times.”
Evacuations were ordered in some Oklahoma communities as more than 130 fires were reported across 44 counties. Gov. Kevin Stitt said at a Saturday news conference that 170,000 acres burned and 293 homes and buildings were damaged.
Hurricane force winds hit Texas and Oklahoma, sparking deadly fires and dust storms. In the Texas Panhandle, where wind gusts topped 80 mph, authorities said three people were killed in car crashes during a dust storm in Amarillo, The Associated Press reported. As of late Saturday afternoon, more than 230,000 homes and businesses remained in the dark after high winds knocked out power in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, according Poweroutage.us
The Kansas State Patrol said winds were so strong that they toppled several tractor-trailers.
Portions of I-70 reopened in northwest Kansas by the Kansas Department of Transportation, after high winds caused crashes blocking the roadway, due to high winds with no visibility, on March 14. The number of fatalities increased after the KPA reported eight people died in a highway pileup caused by a dust storm in Sherman County on Friday. At least 50 vehicles were involved.
The following closures were in effect in northwest Kansas at this time and included:
– Eastbound I-70 from Goodland to Colby
– Westbound I-70 from WaKeeney to Goodland
– U.S. 40 from Sharon Springs to Oakley
– K-27 from Goodland to Tribune
Emergency responders continue to clear the roadways of crashes that occurred earlier due to blowing dust. Motorists were asked to delay non-essential travel as parking and accommodations were becoming limited along the closed routes.
Interstate 35 from Road U to the Lyon/Coffey county line, east of Emporia, was closed due to wildfires and blowing smoke. The highway was closed in both directions.
The number of fatalities increased after the Kansas Highway Patrol reported eight people died in a highway pileup caused by a dust storm in Sherman County on Friday. At least 50 vehicles were involved.
Some of the wind gusts from several states included:
63 mph – 7 NNE Tasco, Sheridan County, KS
72 MPH – 1 ENE Garden City – Finney County, KS
61 MPH – 10 SW Ness City – Ness County, KS
65 MPH – 2 ENE Colby – Thomas County, KS
61 MPH – 1 SSW Beaver – Beaver County OK
66 MPH – 2 ENE Goodwell – Texas County OK
62 MPH – 1 WSW Hooker – Texas County OK
Dust Storm – 3 N Colby – Thomas County, KS
77 MPH – Winnona – Logan County, KS
67 MPH – 8 W Slapout – Beaver County OK
Around 40 vehicles were involved in a vehicle pileup, which spanned several miles, on Texas highways, from Friday’s extreme winds, and included tipped semi trucks to downed power lines. The winds caused areas to see low to zero visibility, which led to a multi-vehicle crash on I-27 between Canyon and Happy.
Violent tornadoes ripped through parts of the U.S., wiping out schools and toppling semi-tractor-trailers in several states, part of a monster storm that has killed at least 32 people as more severe weather was expected late Saturday.
In Mississippi, Gov. Tate Reeves announced that six people died in three counties and three more people were missing. There were 29 injuries across the state, he added in a nighttime post on the social media platform.
