A mighty wind
Storm closes interstate, topples McDonald’s sign

Rescuers work frantically to extricate an Illinois couple from their crushed SUV after a sign fell on it Wednesday in Window Rock. Photo courtesy Emerson Notah

Copyright © 2009
Gallup Independent
By Phil Stake
Staff writer

GALLUP — A spring storm barreled through eastern Arizona and western New Mexico late Wednesday as Gallup residents woke up to 1 inch of snow.

In Arizona, state police closed an 18-mile stretch of Interstate Highway 40 Wednesday, after dust-saturated winds brought visibility to zero.

Police halted travel in both directions on the section of I-40 between Meteor Crater rest stop near milepost 233 and Winslow, Ariz., at 8:51 a.m. because of zero visibility, according to Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Bart Graves. The road reopened at about 4:30 p.m.

“The situation is so volatile right now, we’re keeping it closed,” Graves said about 4 p.m. Wednesday. “We anticipate that when the winds die down it will reopen. We may escort people initially.”

Police also closed Ariz. 77 near Holbrook at 1:02 p.m. Wednesday — another stretch of roadway plagued by wind and dust. The closure started just north of I-40 near milepost 395 and continued until milepost 408. This closure remained in effect at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

In Window Rock, an Illinois couple were injured around noon Wednesday when winds estimated at around 45 mph toppled the golden arches at the McDonald’s, according to Sgt. Irene Six of Navajo Police Department.

Six said one of the occupants had to be extricated from the vehicle by rescue personnel. Their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Navajo Nation Fire & Rescue and Emergency Medical Services responded to the incident along with Navajo Police. The couple were transported by ambulance to the Indian Health Service hospital in Fort Defiance. A second Arizona vehicle also had damage to its rear and side from the falling arches.

Although strong winds also hit Gallup and surrounding areas, New Mexico roads apparently escaped the blinding dust. District 6 State Police Capt. Darren Soland reported no road closures at 4 p.m. Wednesday, and said that there had been no significant crashes.

While sustained winds in Gallup approached 35 mph, gusting to 47 mph, gusts of nearly 65 mph were recorded in Winslow Wednesday afternoon, according to Accuweather meteorologist Carl Erickson.

Erickson said to expect calmer winds Thursday, with sustained speeds between 10 and 20 mph and gusts up to 30 mph; but strong winds are expected to return Friday before diminishing into the weekend.

— Staff writers Karen Francis and Kathy Helms contributed to this report.

Reporter Phil Stake
can be reached at philip.stake@gmail.com, or by calling (505) 863-6811 x223.