Strong winds from thunderstorms that swept through Independence County overnight caused power outages and property damage and kept road crews working through the early morning. At 9:30 a.m., Entergy reported 545 outages in Independence County.
According to Independence County Judge Kevin Jeffery, no serious injuries have been reported, but noted there was “heavy damage” in the Maple Springs area. Debris, twisted metal, snapped utility poles and trees, and even some roofs were scattered throughout the area, as well as Oil Trough. According to Jeffery, crews have been operating backhoes since 2 a.m. As of now, the roads are passable but the crews are still present at the scene. Therefore, drivers are advised to exercise caution while driving in the Maple Springs and Oil Trough areas.
Jeffery told White River Now county residents with property damage should take photos of their damage in case the Independence County Office of Emergency Management needs the information.
Jeffery provided White River Now with images from the storm’s aftermath.
Windy conditions will be seen today behind a cold front pushing through the state. A wind advisory is in effect until midnight Friday. Sustained west winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected with gusts of 40 to 45 mph possible. Some higher elevations could see winds approaching 50 mph at times. These winds will decrease by later this evening.
Wind chills will drop into the single digits and teens by this afternoon for most of the northwest half of the state. These cold wind chills will continue into the overnight period.
An Arctic front will arrive late on Saturday with a very cold air mass settling across the region by Sunday morning.
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