Increasingly dire warnings issued by the National Weather Service at the start of last week urged Panhandle residents to expect high winds ranging from 35-45 mph and gusting up to 70 last Tuesday, Nov. 26. Emergency responders were poised and ready.

Just after noon, the alarms sounded—one after anothercalling firefighters first to a fire in Roberts County, then to a semi-tractor rollover on US 83 s…