![]() “Extreme caution should be used to avoid sparks and open flames.”Ī broader Level 2 “critical” risk encompasses the Level 3 area and extends from the Texas-Mexico border to southwestern Iowa, including Oklahoma City and Norman in Oklahoma, Wichita in Kansas, and Abilene and Wichita Falls in Texas.ĬNN Meteorologist Robert Shackelford and CNN’s Amanda Jackson, Paradise Afshar, Andi Babineau and Jillian Sykes contributed to this report. “Dangerous fire weather conditions are expected on Tuesday with potential for multiple large, dangerous, and fast moving fires,” the weather service said. This area includes the Texas cities of Lubbock, Amarillo, Midland and Odessa and the New Mexico city of Clovis. More than 11 million people from southeastern Arizona to southeastern Nebraska are under red flag warnings Tuesday.Īccording to the National Weather Service, red flag warnings are issued when warmer temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds are anticipated to combine to increase the risk of fire.įires could be fueled by dry surface air, breezy winds, dead grass and brush and warm temperatures,” the weather service office for Omaha and Valley, Nebraska, said.Īn “ extremely critical” Level 3 of 3 fire risk is in place across parts of eastern New Mexico, western Texas, western Oklahoma and southern Kansas. ‘Extremely critical’ fire threat in the Southwest and Plains The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning and a winter weather advisory for the affected areas. The highway patrol asked people to stay home but if not, “be prepared in case you get stranded.” US 12 westbound from Summit is impassable and more and more vehicles keep getting stuck there.” “We need our citizens and visitors help to make sure everyone stays safe during this storm. US 12 near Summit, South Dakota, is “solid ice and hard to even walk on,” according to the highway patrol. Expect multiple day closures,” the alert warned. Adjust travel plans and seek shelter elsewhere. But Midland has not experienced a hailstorm like Tuesday’s since 2009. “Our investigators will be visiting with local officials and talking to residents to help them recognize potential scams.The closure affects I-90 from Rapid City to Murdo and I-29 from Watertown to the border with North Dakota, the department said. Hail researchers with Western Universitys Northern Hail Project, who were chasing the storm, arrived about 20 minutes after the cell passed to find the ground littered with grapefruit-to-softball sized hailstones. NWS meteorologist Scott Kleebauer said that in 2017 a storm in Odessa had hail similar in size to the storm on Tuesday. “Unfortunately, a big storm can also draw some bad contractors and scam artists to the area,” said TDI Fraud Chief Christopher Davis. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) sent a team of fraud investigators to the area to deter any criminal element drawn to the scene after this week’s storms. Companies have declared the storm a catastrophe and are sending in additional adjusters to handle the claims. ![]() Amanda Bell with the Davis Body Shop in Odessa said everybody was swamped from last week’s storm, especially the glass companies.īoth homeowners and vehicle owners are urged to assess the damage to their property and contact their insurance companies as soon as possible. Medinilla myriantha is commonly referred to as Malaysian Orchid or Malaysian Grapes. “We’ve had hail as large as 4 and a quarter inches and wind gusts near 70 miles per hour reported in both Midland and Odessa and in adjoining counties,” said Lister.Īuto body shops in the area were expected to fill up quickly with damaged cars. “We’ve been hit with large hail the last two days and last night was especially hard and we are supposed to get hit again tonight.”Īlex Lister, senior forecaster with the National Weather Service in Midland, said grapefruit size hail was reported one mile south of Midland while baseball size hail was reported in Odessa. A three-month-old baby died of a fractured skull, struck by a large hailstone while being carried by her. Two thousand homes and 2500 automobiles were severely damaged, and about 25 people were injured, mainly when hit on the head by the huge stones. “It’s been nuts,” said Andrea Hidalgo with the Tara Simmons Insurance Agency in Odessa. A violent forty-minute hailstorm bombed Fort Collins, CO, with hail up to grapefruit size.
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