Over 500K Left Without Power , After Record-Breaking Winds , Hit the Central U.S. .
On December 15, powerful storms generated record-breaking winds from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes.
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CNN reports that the high winds tore roofs off of houses, overturned vehicles, shut down highways and forced some air traffic controllers to evacuate their towers.
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According to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center, at least 55 wind gusts over 75 mph were recorded across the Midwest and the Great Plains.
The most ever recorded in a single day in the United States.
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In Colorado, wind gusts up to 100 mph or higher were also recorded.
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Almost 20 tornadoes were reported across Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska.
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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's records show that the tornado in Minnesota was the first ever documented in December in the state's history.
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CNN reports that record heat in the north fueled the storms. .
I've been doing this 30 years, and we're seeing things today in the CNN Weather Center we have never seen before, Tom Sater, CNN meteorologist, via CNN.
According to Poweroutage.us, over 530,000 power outages have been reported, with Wisconsin and Michigan most affected.
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In Kansas, air traffic controllers were evacuated and parts of Interstate 70 were closed down.
In Kansas, air traffic controllers were evacuated and parts of Interstate 70 were closed down.
CNN points out that the record-breaking winds come just days after tornadoes tore through 8 states, one of which was the deadliest December tornado ever recorded in the U.S.
