A line of rough early morning storms shoved a semi-trailer onto its side along Interstate 44 in northeast Oklahoma City on Sunday, with storm chasers on scene reporting downed trees and power lines around the crash site. Authorities had not immediately said whether anyone was hurt or how long cleanup would keep the area tied up.
According to KOCO, First Alert storm chaser Shane Helton was driving the service road near I-44 when he came across damaged trees, fallen power lines and the semi knocked over by the passing storms. The station also reported that meteorologist Joseph Neubauer cited wind gusts up to 90 mph in parts of the metro, including Norman.
Storms and wind reports
The National Weather Service in Norman had already flagged the holiday weekend as one to watch, warning of strong to potentially severe storms across central Oklahoma, with damaging wind gusts and heavy rain that could turn highways treacherous. Forecasters highlighted that high wind gusts were possible along corridors such as I-44 as the storms moved through the region.
High-profile rigs are vulnerable
Large commercial rigs are especially vulnerable when strong crosswinds hit broadside, and it does not take much in the open to knock a trailer off balance. As reported by fierce gusts have flipped semis on highways outside Oklahoma City in past storms, a reminder of how quickly conditions can turn dangerous for high-profile vehicles.
What drivers should know
Drivers around the metro are urged to slow down, leave extra room between vehicles and give emergency crews plenty of space to work while storms are in the area. Officials advise checking updates from agencies and forecasters before heading onto major interstates during severe weather and, if possible, keeping high-profile vehicles off the road until the winds ease.
