[LadyRobyn]

I've been listening to our local guys chase them all day, and now there is one out of control and burning close to the town of Gotebo. According to KSWO it has already gotten a few structures.

Praying for the residents safety and the safety of the people fighting the fire.

Link to story: KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: Gotebo urged to evacuate due to grass fire

[Synopsis]

The winds have been horrific the last several days. And this morning, when I got up (before 5 am) it was howling as bad as if we were in a tornado, constantly. This is seriously strange weather and I do pray for those people up there in Gotebo. Grassfires are really a problem in the country and can sweep through hundreds of thousands of acres in not time.

[peggydavis]

Isn't it late in the year to be having wildfires? I hope the people in Gotebo get out all right. I wish this dang wind would slow down some.

[Synopsis]

The wind won't stop and hasn't stopped down here in more than a week. It's the first time I've seen the wind blowing constantly day and night, day and night without being under a severe thunderstorm warning or something. Seriously, something is not right. Global warming, global cooling, or is it....

Global Winding!!!!

All jokes aside, it is weird. Never, ever have I experienced continued wind that is so strong.

At Bell Helicopter where I work, they are constructing a new building just to the South of us. Whenever I go outside to the cafeteria or when entering or leaving the plant, there is this white powder falling from the sky. I finally found out what it is. It's the insulation they are installing in the new building (a combo of ground up styrofoam and something else they are pouring between the cinder blocks) that is being swept up by the wind and deposited as if it was summer snow..

Or is that asbestos?

[mkfarnam]

They said that the town of Gotebo has been completely evacuated.

[Synopsis]

Here's a wind map off weather underground. The bad thing is, they predict this to last for four or five more days. And it's not even as bad here as it is in SW Oklahoma and West Texas.

[Synopsis]

And Gotebo is in the biggest part of this mess. I pray all of those folks are safe and their homes are undamaged.

[Synopsis]

I posed the question to the meteorologists that we have on this forum because I'm not hearing anything about the reasons for this type of weather on the local news. However, I don't watch the local news that much so that's probably the reason why.. Thread is below.

http://www.city-data.com/forum/weath...ml#post4004364

[mkfarnam]

I'm just thankful it's not sand storms like we had in the desert in CA. Talk about sand blasting. A perfect place to get a face lift.
My truck had some paint removed from the hood and the top of the cab from that.

[LadyRobyn]

Originally Posted by peggydavis

Isn't it late in the year to be having wildfires? I hope the people in Gotebo get out all right. I wish this dang wind would slow down some.

Yes it is late, but when the wind kicks up like this it dries things out VERY quickly... and we haven't had any measurable rain lately.

Last word on Gotebo is that the fire is 75% contained and there have been some houses destroyed. There is a storm cell moving in their direction so hopefully it will bring them some rain.

We only had one small one IN Duncan today, and they got to it quickly.