KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The strong winds Thursday caused problems for many people in the Kansas City metro.
The howling winds didn't wake Mary Witte up at 5:50 a.m., but rather a mangled mess that was once her carport.
"My boyfriend was in the living room and I said, 'what was that,' and he said, 'I think it was the carport,'" said Witte, a Kansas City resident.
Strong wind gusts sheared off the 18-by-20-foot metal structure and tossed it into the other side of Witte's backyard.
"It’s heavy enough that you can’t move it, and all that was busted off of it, too," Witte said as she showed 41 Action News the damage.
The carport came to rest against a fence and some overhead wires near 61st Street and Norfleet Road.
"I’m just amazed that it went over the house," Witte said. "We’ve got roof damage, we’ve got siding damage and we’ve got car damage."
Witte's 1965 and 2017 Corvettes sustained damage in the incident. Witte said the 1965 Stingray will need a new paint job.
"According to my insurance agent, we’re real lucky," she said.
Meanwhile on the roads, truck drivers in the metro heeded the message to slow down.
"The wind catches the side of the trailers, and when you make turns it’ll almost push them over," said Lou James, who hauls auto parts.
James usually drives about 65 mph, but on Thursday, he was driving 45 to 50 mph.
"The faster you drive in the winds the more (the load) moves, so I drive slow for the wake to adjust," James said. "Just take your time."
Ultimately for truck drivers, planning their trip ahead is key, James said.
