Strong wind in Wisconsin could tip semis, trucks: 'Can be tragic'

MILWAUKEE - The National Weather Service forecasted strong wind with possible gusts in excess of 60 miles per hour across Wisconsin Wednesday night, Dec. 15 into Thursday morning, with severe weather also possible in parts of the state. This weather can really impact travel, adding some dangerous obstacles, debris, construction equipment or even tipped vehicles.

Staying home until things calm down is always the best option, but if you do have to venture out in dangerous conditions, you’ll want to be extra alert.

"60 mile an hour winds, that’s pretty up there," said Wisconsin State Patrol Superintendent Tony Burrell. 

It’s the kind of weather that can throw you off course.

"I’ve seen them on videos, and it’s not a pretty sight," said Michael Young, truck driver.

High wind is especially threatening for high-profile vehicles like trucks and semis, at risk of tipping over.

"I haven’t come close to tipping over. I don’t want to," said Young.

Professional drivers like Young ask that everyone slow down and keep an eye out for trucks.

"It can be tragic," said Burrell.

With potentially dangerous consequences, the Wisconsin State Patrol urged everyone to keep a safe distance, buckle up and eliminate distractions.

"You’ve got branches that could be flying around, barrels, you name it," said Burrell.

Flying in the air, planes can be impacted, too.

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"We actually have a pretty robust planning cycle," said Greg Mays, Sun County Airlines.

Officials at Milwaukee's airport said Wednesday they weren't expecting to cancel any flights while continuing to monitor conditions.

"Our system ops control team will have already distributed high wind alert notices to all the stations to make sure they go into high wind protocols where they’re locking equipment down and things like that," said Mays.

"Safety – that’s always on my mind, and getting home to my loved ones," said Young.

Traffic Management Center monitors camera feeds, warns drivers

At the Traffic Management Center, hundreds of DOT cameras monitor traffic on the highways. On Wednesday night, the center was sending out messages to drivers to watch out for strong wind and to stay alert. 

At Future Logistics and CDL Training, safety is a top priority. Mhammad Abu-Shawish is the owner and truck driving instructor. He teaches students the rules of the road and how to handle all weather conditions.

"(High wind) poses a serious challenge and serious risk for the truck drivers," he said.

High wind can be one of the toughest situations. Wind gusts of over 60 mph were expected Wednesday night. Abu-Shawish tells his students and drivers to slow down and pull over if needed.

"If you don’t have anything to do in this kind of weather, it’s not worth taking a risk," he said.

His message was echoed by those at the Traffic Management Center, monitoring DOT cameras and sending out important information to drivers.

"We are getting messages on our dynamic message signs letting people know that there is a high wind warning," said Stacey Pierce, Traffic Management Unit.

The center is staffed 24/7, 365 days a year, putting out up-to-date tweets and information on digital signs, all while working with the Wisconsin State Patrol.

"They’re monitoring traffic and working with first responders who will respond if there is a crash," said Pierce.

In dangerous weather, it's important to be cautious out on the roads.

"Be safe. Drive safe, please," said Abu-Shawish. "Share the road with complete caution with semis."

Some of the biggest problem areas could be the high bridges and roadways. Abu-Shawish says those big trucks can be most dangerous with a light load.

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