The strange sky color outside is a dust plume blowing across Oklahoma from Nebraska. Strong winds, at times near 40-miles per hour, are “whipping down the plains" and causing all kinds of problems.
Conditions are so bad in North Central Oklahoma that portions of Interstate 35 west of Ponca City had to be shut down. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported near black-out conditions and several multi car crashes. In one statement, the Patrol said visibility was down to 10-feet in parts of Kay County
The winds are also fanning wild fires across the region. In Grant County, the Medford area, US Highway 60 had to be closed because of a large wildfire.
Osage and Pawnee Counties are under a Red Flag Fire Warning. Tulsa County is in a Wind Advisory.
Strong winds are expected into the overnight hours.