Tractor-trailers blown off South Dakota highway by powerful winds
The National Weather Service said wind speeds may reach up to 35 mph with gusts up to 52 mph on Friday afternoon.
FILE: Howling winds batter Alaska homes during windstorm
Hurricane-force winds battered homes in Alaska and destroyed a pedestrian bridge over the weekend. The windstorm on Sunday brought gusts between 90 and 130 mph as it roared to the north.
SISSETON, S.D. – Several semi-trucks were blown off a road in South Dakota as powerful winds coursed through the state Friday, according to troopers.
The South Dakota Highway Patrol shared a photo of a semi that had run off Interstate 29 near the town of Sisseton. The scene exemplified the weather challenges drivers of giant vehicles have faced in the northeast corner of the state.
A semi-truck that had been blown off the interstate near Sisseton, South Dakota. Jan. 17, 2025.
(@SDHighwayPatrol / X / FOX Weather)
Winds in the area gusted to near 50 mph on Friday morning at the Sisseton Municipal Airport, while gusts reached 57 mph in nearby Peever and 61 mph in Summit, South Dakota, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
The National Weather Service noted that the winds were expected to stay strong through the afternoon.
Troopers cautioned truck drivers of the hazards these speeds will present.
"We highly recommend that if you are a high profile vehicle, especially unloaded, you wait to travel until the winds lessen," they said on X, formerly Twitter.
Much of the Mount Rushmore State is currently under a Wind Advisory, which will last until 7 p.m. CT Friday. The NWS advised drivers of high-profile vehicles to use extra caution while traveling.