Strong winds in Midwest whip up dust, blow over semitrailers

By MARGERY A. BECK and MARGARET STAFFORD
Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A powerful storm system is blowing through the Great Plains and Midwest, combining with unusually warm temperatures to close highways and prompt numerous tornado warnings. The winds gusting up to 80 mph hit parts of Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa. The winds caused dust storms that closed down a section of Interstate 70 and many state highways in western Kansas. The National Weather Service said there have been 13 tornado reports in the Plains states. The agency issued a high wind warning from New Mexico to upper Michigan, including Wisconsin and Illinois. Fires were reported in Kansas Wednesday afternoon, prompting evacuations but no immediate reports of damage to buildings.