Wind gusts up to 54 mph in Hays Tuesday fueled wildfires

A Kansas National Guard Black Hawk helicopter from Salina dumps water on the wildfire near Catherine late Tuesday afternoon. (Photo courtesy Ellis Co. Sheriff’s office)

By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

The two major wildfires Tuesday near Hays and Catherine were fueled by constant strong northwesterly wind.

According to official statistics from the K-State Agricultural Research Center, the wind averaged 21 mph yesterday, with a peak gust of 49 mph recorded at the station south of Hays.

Weather instruments at the Hays Regional Airport recorded a peak gust of 54 mph shortly before 10 a.m. Afternoon gusts were between 41 and 49 mph.

By 7 p.m., wind gusts dropped dramatically to just 16 mph and kept dropping throughout the evening to less than 10 mph.

According to the National Weather Service in Dodge City, a 70 mph peak gust was recorded in Garden City and also northeast of Hoxie.

Today’s forecast is calling for considerably less wind and slightly warmer temperatures.