ROANOKE COUNTY, VA – Wind may be invisible, but its impact can be anything but.
The wind blew in some trouble for Kim Wyrick in Botetourt.
“There was a large tree lying across the road, and we ran right into it,” Wyrick said.
Wyrick says she’s always feared that wind could knock a tree down while she’s driving.
“In my 20-some years of working law enforcement that has never happened, and then that night, just coming around a curve,” Wyrick said.
She’s hoping it serves as a warning for her 16-year-old son, who was in the car with her.
“How glad are you that he wasn’t the one driving?” 10 News Anchor Abbie Coleman said.
“I was very grateful for that. I think it was a good experience that we had this accident so he can understand what you need to do and that it’s not the end of the world if something like this happens, but I was very glad that he didn’t have that experience and that trauma being a new driver,” Wyrick said.
The wind had a larger impact than just Wyrick.
“I was listening to my police radio and did notice that there were about five other trees down at the same time, and then throughout the evening, some more trees fell,” she said.
And as we move into the weekend, we’re seeing more of the same, strong, potentially damaging winds.
That’s why Roanoke County Parks and Rec Marketing and Administrative Coordinator Alex North says they needed to turn out the lights on Friday’s Illuminights Grand Illumination event.
“Due to the high wind advisory, and out of an abundance of caution for our special guests and our Roanoke county employees who were going to be there tonight, we decided to cancel that to keep everyone safe,” North said.
They can’t control the weather, but North says they can control their response to it.
“Unfortunately, the weather is out of our hands, but out of an abundance of caution, we are able to pivot and make decisions based on the weather. In years past we’ve had to cancel due to snow or high winds,” North said.
They’re planning to carry on with opening night Saturday.
“We will still be operating this weekend,” he said.
For Wyrick, she wants people to realize the impact high wind can have.
“It will definitely help me pay more attention and be watching for that,” Wyrick said.
