Man wakes to find massive tree crushed his cars after powerful winds

By Kate Devine

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    WICHITA, Kansas (KAKE) — Bill Robinson has lived in the same Wichita home for 49 years, and for nearly all of them, a towering oak tree stood outside his house—until powerful winds took it down overnight, crushing his cars in the process.

“At 3:30 this morning, we heard a big loud noise—of course, we knew it was going to be windy,” Robinson said. “Then my neighbor called and said, ‘You won’t be able to get out your front door.’”

The tree, estimated to be two stories tall, crashed into Robinson’s vehicles, leaving him to deal with insurance claims and cleanup. He said the loss is still sinking in.

“I thought it was a strong tree,” he said. “Poor squirrels don’t have a house now.”

Kansas saw wind gusts between 50-70 miles per hour overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday morning, leading to downed power lines, scattered debris, and fallen trees. KAKE Managing Meteorologist Jay Prater said tree damage like this happens when strong winds hit already vulnerable roots.

“If the ground is soft from rain, the roots are more likely to get pulled up,” Prater explained. “Plus, if a tree has a large canopy, there’s more surface area for the wind to grab onto and pull it over.”

While Robinson was fortunate to avoid injury, meteorologists are urging Kansans to be prepared as severe weather season approaches.

“If you don’t have a basement, you want to be in the lowest level possible and the most interior space,” said Vanessa Pearce, a warning coordination meteorologist. “If you live in an apartment, consider making friends with the people below you.”

Experts like Meteorologist Jay Prater also emphasize having multiple ways to receive weather alerts, especially at night.

“I can’t wake you up in the middle of the night and tell you there’s a tornado coming,” Prater said. “But a weather radio can.”

While more windy days are expected this week, forecasters say the worst is over—for now. Officials recommend securing outdoor furniture, staying weather-aware, and preparing for spring storms before they arrive.

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