Roaming Buffalo Ranch: Wind, Weather And Warnings

Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Wind, Weather And Warnings

We had a 10 minute gust last night that woke me up. It was crazy. I heard things crashing and bumping all around us. It is still dark, so I have no idea what it was. It was a strong wind, but not as strong as what we have in store for us today.

I always got a giggle out of the weather forecast for calling the wind out here breezy. On rare occasions they use the word "windy". For the first time, that I have seen, they are using the words "very windy". This makes me stand up and take notice because it is breezy here most of the time. Windy is off the charts. I have no idea what "very windy" is going to look like.

The adjacent county has a forecast for hurricane force winds. We are just below that with wind gusts up to 60-80 mph. We are in the middle of a mountain range with large open spaces. We could see the higher gusts.

As soon as it is light, we will batten down the hatches and see what all the racket was last night. It probably was debris blowing from elsewhere. We only have lawn and porch chairs that need to be put up along with making sure that the chicken yard is secure.

* WHAT...West winds 30 to 50 mph with gusts reaching 60 to 80 mph.
  Wind prone areas in and near the foothills may see gusts near 100
  mph.

* WHEN...From 8 AM this morning to 5 PM MST this afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines.
  Widespread power outages are expected. Travel will be difficult,
  especially for high profile vehicles. Gusty winds will blow around
  unsecured objects and a few power outages may result. Blowing dust
  will reduce visibility to less than a quarter mile in places.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Strong winds and low humidity will create
  critical fire weather conditions on the plains.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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.

Persons with respiratory problems should make preparations to stay
indoors until the storm passes. Be ready for a sudden drop in
visibility to near zero. If you encounter blowing dust or blowing
sand on the roadway or see it approaching, pull off the road as far
as possible and put your vehicle in park. Turn the lights all the
way off and keep foot off the brake pedal. Remember, `Pull Aside,
Stay Alive`.