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By Joe Edwards
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Meteorologists are urging millions of residents across at least 11 states to remain indoors and avoid windows as powerful windstorms, dust advisories, and wildfire risks sweep across large portions of the central and western United States.
Why It Matters
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued high wind warnings and blowing dust advisories from Texas to California, with gusts expected to reach as high as 90 mph in some areas. These extreme conditions have prompted widespread safety warnings, as the potential for downed power lines, flying debris, and hazardous driving conditions continues to grow.
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Officials have also warned that the combination of strong winds and dry conditions could escalate wildfire risks, with red flag warnings in effect from South Dakota to Texas. The extreme weather follows a weekend of severe storms that left more than 40 dead across multiple states.
What to Know
The NWS has highlighted multiple regions under high wind warnings, including:
- Texas Panhandle and El Paso – Winds between 35 and 45 mph with gusts up to 65 mph.
- Sangre de Cristo Mountains (Colorado) – Southwest winds 40 to 50 mph with gusts up to 90 mph.
- New Mexico– Blowing dust advisories remain in effect, with reduced visibility making travel dangerous.
- California's Coachella Valley – Air quality alerts due to windblown dust, with health risks to individuals with respiratory conditions.
High wind warnings have also been issued for parts of Utah, Wyoming, Kansas, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Oklahoma.
According to the NWS, residents should take precautions by securing loose objects, avoiding travel when possible, and staying in the lower levels of their homes during the peak of the windstorm.
"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," the NWS office in Topeka, Kansas stated in its high wind warning.
What People Are Saying
AccuWeather meteorologist Tyler Roys told Newsweek: "The dangers associated with these winds include blowing dust leading to poor air quality and poor visibility which will lead to travel delays.
"The stronger the winds the more likely that a tractor-trailer gets blown over, like what was seen last Friday. This again will lead to travel delays. Crosswinds will also impact travel either in vehicle or rail or air modes."
"Also, people should not tailgate while driving in case they get caught in blowing dust. Blowing dust as mentioned above will quickly lower the visibility and the chances for a car crash or for a multi-car pile up increases rapidly."
What's Next
Residents in affected areas can stay informed through local weather updates.
At the time of writing, the latest high wind warnings were in place until Wednesday.
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