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Strong wind gusts usher in frigid temperatures, winter |
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Friday, 11 December 2009 |
By MATT NICHOLS
Staff Writer
Despite wind gusts topping more than 50 mph, local law enforcement reported little damage and no accidents related to last night’s wind storm.
Dispatchers with both the Wapakoneta Police Department and the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office reported no accidents related to the wind or icy conditions, and the few trees which fell in the county left no damage to property.
Sgt. Tom Brookhart with the Wapakoneta Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the lone accident the post responded to Wednesday night was not weather related.
“It actually was a pretty quiet night around here,” Brookhart said.
Winds picked up and temperatures dropped around the region early Wednesday after
noon when a deepening low pressure system descended on the area. Auglaize County Emergency Management (EMA) Director Troy Anderson said the high winds only caused spotty power outages across the county.
Analyzing data from the last 24 hours, the EMA directory noted the temperature drop throughout Wednesday was staggering.
“At 6 a.m. yesterday morning it was the highest temperature at 50 degrees,” Anderson said. “By midnight, it had dropped to 19.8. That’s more than a 30-degree decline.”
By 8 a.m. this morning, Anderson said the temperature had dropped to 14 degrees where he noted it will likely linger up until the weekend.
Anderson said the highest gust recorded by the EMA was 51 mph.
He said it was recorded twice during the last 24 hours — once at 1:30 p.m. and at 9:30 p.m. The highest wind speed without gusts was recorded at 49 mph.
The EMA director said without factoring in wind gusts, the average wind speed from 8 a.m. Wednesday to 8 a.m. today was 17.5 mph.
The low pressure system also brought minimal snow throughout Wednesday, but Anderson said the dusting was too little to measure.
“We couldn’t get an accurate reading because the wind just blew it around, so I just labeled it as a trace,” Anderson said.
Anderson said the frigid temperatures should continue up until the weekend, and noted precipitation also should be kept to a minimum.
“Unless we get a lake effect snow, I really don’t see anything,” Anderson said.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 11 December 2009 )
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