Gusty winds from collapsing thunderstorms triggered a heat burst that blew over 20 power poles in northwest Barton County and southern Russell County Tuesday night.
Twenty power poles blew over, disrupting power in Galatia and Susank in Barton County and Milberger in Russell County. Russell County had 350 Midwest Energy customers without power and Barton and Rice County had 218 customers without power for about three hours.
“There was a lot of wind and a fair amount of damage. Crews started working last night into the early morning,” said Mike Morley, Midwest Energy communications manager. “They patrol the lines to see where the damage is. Once they trace the line, they will reroute the power. Today, crews were replacing the power poles.”
A heat burst is signified by a rise in the temperature, a drop in the dew point or relative humidity and gusty winds.  A dissipating thunderstorm and mid-level hot and dry air is required, combined with a shallow surface inversion.
Locations from Hays to Salina recorded the heat burst on automated weather equipment. Temperatures rose 5 to 15 degrees as a result of the heat burst and winds gusted from 40 to 60 mph.
Hays was affected from 9:30 to 9:50 when the temperature rose 10 degrees. Visibility dropped from 10 miles to 1.75 miles because of blowing dust.
At Hays, strong winds were common throughout the evening, and heavy dust filtered in at 9:30 p.m. along with what’s known as a heat burst.
Hays reached a temperture of 99 degrees with a 61 mph wind. Russell recorded a 94 degree temperature with a 58 mph wind. Ellsworth reached 97 degrees with a 57 mph wind. Salina recorded a 43 mph wind with 96 degrees.
“Heat bursts are interesting, relatively rare, atmospheric nighttime events characterized by gusty winds, a rapid increase in surface temperature and a decrease in surface dew point associated with a dissipating thunderstorm,” according to the National Weather Service.
Midwest Energy reported Russell County and Ellis County had 31 power lines downed startiong at 6 p.m. Sunday with 2,300 customers without power after a 60 to 70 mph wind. Morley said power was restored to most customers in about an hour.
Morley said more than 130 power lines were snapped May 11-12 by a thunderstorm complex that affected Barton, Edwards, Barton and Hodgeman counties. Poles were broken between Belpre and Lewis by a 75 mph wind. Barton County reported 3-inch hail and Pawnee County had 2-inch hail that night.