PHOENIX — Winter weather and winds caused several road closures Wednesday, including Interstate 40 through Flagstaff and Interstate 17 north of Camp Verde.
“I’m going to Kansas. I was supposed to make it there by 11 pm. I’m not going to make it there until 8 a.m. tomorrow,” said Joseph Corner while talking about his trip from Las Vegas.
“The last stop I had... 14 hours to get to my destination,” truck driver Petson Charles said. “I had to drive three hours more to I-17.”
The National Weather Service saw some of the strongest winds of the year Wednesday, including a gust of 88 miles per hour at Sunset Point. The strong winds are making life difficult for truck drivers navigating roads.
“It wants to pull you over. It wants to swing you around,” said Perry Polhans. “You just have to try to keep control of it so it doesn’t throw you off the road.”
The winds impact most trucks on the road.
“Just hold the wheel as tight as you can and don’t go too fast but keep it steady,” Corner said.
Some drivers opted to stop rather than fight against the strong gusts.
“You need to stop in a safe place, check your tires, and if you have any big load - or little load - make sure it’s completely attached,” driver Jose Sosa said.
All the drivers are asking for other cars on the road to give them extra space on a windy day just to make sure everyone stays safe.