National Weather Service issues high wind warning for Sedgwick County, most of Kansas

The winds expected Saturday morning held off until the afternoon, as the National Weather Service registered strengthening winds throughout the day, placing Sedgwick County and all the way west to the Colorado border under a high wind warning.

The first gust to break 50 mph at the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport was recorded around 4:53 p.m., NWS data shows. The gust hit 51 mph.

Sedgwick County and nearby counties were put under a high wind warning at 3:10 p.m. The warning stays in effect until 9 a.m. Sunday. A warning for many western Kansas counties was issued around 9:45 a.m. and extends to 11 p.m.

The NWS issues a high wind warning when “sustained winds of 40 mph or greater or gusts to 58 mph or greater are expected.” The Hutchinson Municipal Airport saw a 58 mph gust at 3:55 p.m., according to the NWS.

During high wind warnings, the NWS advises people not to be outdoors.

“If you are driving, keep both hands on the wheels and slow down,” the NWS says on its website.