Half of Kansas was blanketed by a blinding dust storm that moved at 90mph hurricane force winds and cut power to close to 120,000 homes Wednesday night.
Social media footage shows the storm whipping up red dust at incredible speeds. As a result, drivers had to pull over to put their brake lights on.
The dust caused an 18-wheeler in Missouri to be towed over, as well as several fires spreading too fast to control.
The National Weather Service has declared a severe storm advisory for Leavenworth County. It urged people to take shelter, avoid the wind and stay out of windows during this storm. Kansas Department of Transportation reported that all highways in the state have been closed. Staff had to be evacuated by the Kansas City International Airport air traffic control center, which is likely to cause delays and diversions during this busy holiday season.
Gov. Laura Kelly made an inclement-weather declaration for Shawnee County shortly after 3pm. This effectively closed state offices.
KSN reports that there is a tornado warning in the Western part of the state. As 119,000 were left without power on Wednesday at 5pm, KSN reported.
The dust storm in Kansas caused visibility to be reduced dramatically, as evidenced by photos and videos posted on social media.
At 90mph the winds were so strong that an 18-wheeler was even tossed by them
On Wednesday night, the storm swooped over Kansas and extended into Missouri.
Wichita’s National Weather Service reported that Russell attained 100 MPH at the airport around 4pm. FOX Weather Reports, as of 1:50pm FOX Weather reports that several roads were still closed due to low visibility, including Interstate 70, which runs from Colorado State Line to Russell, Kansas.
In Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado, the storm resulted in downed trees, damaged power lines, and property destruction.
According to the Topeka Capitol Journal, the brunt of this storm struck Hutchinson in central Kansas at 4pm and 5pm.
Within one hour power outages in Hutchinson rose from 48 to 455, impacting approximately 500 customers, and then to over 455, which affected more than 5,700 customers.
By 5.15pm the count had reached 672, leaving approximately 7,835 customers without power. Emergency personnel from the area responded to downed poles and powerlines.
Wichita’s Air Quality Index of 99 reported that it was at 99. This puts the city in danger of falling into unhealthy territory.
On Twitter, city officials stated that they are encouraging residents to restrict their outdoor time until the air quality improves.