McConnell Air Pressure Base Evacuates Tankers From Extreme Storms

A derecho transferring throughout the central U.S. Feb. 26 compelled the twenty second Air Refueling Wing at McConnell Air Pressure Base, Kan. to maneuver its plane out of the extreme storm’s path.

“We [relocated] most of our KC-46 and KC-135 fleet this weekend, save for a couple of plane that have been present process prolonged upkeep,” John Van Winkle, the twenty second Air Refueling Wing’s chief of public affairs, mentioned in an e mail. He famous that the remaining plane and flight line tools have been protected in hangars.

The storm spawned no less than 9 tornadoes in Oklahoma and Kansas, and disrupted climate within the Texas panhandle.

In Norman, Okla., about 15 miles south of Tinker Air Pressure Base, Okla., The Climate Channel and different information retailers reported 12 accidents and storm injury after a twister touched down there Feb. 26. Oklahoma Information 4 reported one loss of life in Roger Mills County close to Cheyenne, Okla., within the western a part of the state. A spokesperson for Tinker Air Pressure Base mentioned the bottom and its plane have been spared.

In Texas, the storm whipped up 114 mph winds, and by Feb. 27 morning greater than 75,000 residences and companies have been with out energy in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, in line with The Climate Channel. By the afternoon of Feb. 27, that quantity had dropped to a bit of greater than 18,000, in line with the ability outage tracker poweroutage.us.

Although tornadoes can happen at anytime of yr, they’re most prevalent in spring, significantly from Texas up by means of the Midwest. It has been practically 10 years since a devastating EF-5 twister ripped by means of Moore, Okla., near Tinker AFB in Could 2013.