Great Plains, Midwest reeling after powerful storm

December 17, 2021 carleyshaffer1 US 0

A local bank is destroyed after a strong thunderstorm swept through the town on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Hartland, Minn. A powerful storm system swept across the Great Plains and Midwest amid unseasonably warm temperatures, bringing hurricane-force wind gusts and spawning reported tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa)

A local bank is destroyed after a strong thunderstorm swept through the town on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, in Hartland, Minn. (AP Photo/Christian Monterrosa)

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UPDATED 2:34 PM PT – Thursday, December 16, 2021

High wind warnings have been issued from New Mexico to upper Michigan as a powerful storm system battered the Great Plains region and Midwest. Severe storms and at least 20 reported tornadoes recently wrecked havoc across the areas.

The storm system blew through several states on Wednesday, including Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa. The National Weather Service reported hurricane-like wind gusts over 75 miles-per-hour, which is the highest recorded since 2009. The strong winds knocked over power lines and trees leaving hundreds of thousands without power across the region.

“We are readying equipment, we’re making sure all of our trucks are gassed up and ready to go, we’re going through maintenance checks and safety checks with our crews reminding them of the dangers of working in high winds and with potentially fallen power lines,” said Lillie Nielson, a resident of Hartland, Minnesota.

Storms here could be moving EXTREMELY fast, up to 80 mph at times, and contain wind gusts of 80-100 mph. Tornadoes are also possible, including a few stronger ones.
All of this will likely be occuring AFTER DARK so make your preparations now and follow severe weather alerts. pic.twitter.com/sux1ruOSQT

— National Weather Service (@NWS) December 15, 2021

In Iowa, a semi-truck driver was killed after being blown off the highway in what meteorologists called harsh and unusual conditions. Residents said they’ve never seen anything like it before.

Highways were closed and schools were canceled across several states as people were ordered to stay home and off the roads. This comes just days after devastating tornadoes ripped through multiple states including Kentucky, Arkansas and Missouri, leaving at least 85 dead.

This current storm system is expected to shift north of the Great Lakes on Thursday and the National Weather Service has warned of high winds, snow and hazardous conditions in that region.