Hurricane-force winds topple trucks

Mother nature played a familiar tune this past weekend with high winds tipping trucks and putting the lights out in Pincher Creek early Monday morning.

Wind speed readings ranged from 124 kph at the Pincher Creek Airport to gusts of over 180 kph recorded at the Shell Waterton gas plant — well into category three hurricane speeds.

Shell officials confirmed sustained wind speeds of 120 kilometres per hour early on Monday.

Highway 22 once again was the scene of trucks toppling in the wind, with the Pincher Creek and Lundbreck Fire departments responding to two such incidents over the weekend.

According to deputy fire chief Pat Neumann, the first truck rolled about 12 km north of Hwy. 3 near Township Rd. 91A just after 7:30 p.m. Sunday evening, followed by another the next morning.

Strong winds also knocked out power in much of the area.

According to FortisAlberta foreman Greg Chartier, the wind caused two wires on a power pole to touch, shortiong out the line a little before 6:15 a.m. Monday morning, leaving nearly 3,000 customers without power.

bryan.passifiume@sunmedia.ca