BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — Anyone who has been outside Thursday knows that it's very, very windy in Minnesota today.
Strong wind gusts have been reported across southern Minnesota, with 47 mph speeds recorded in Mankato and 55 mph winds in Rochester.
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport also recorded a max wind speed of 59 mph. According to the National Weather Service, 64 mph would be considered storm force winds.
Because of the strong wind speeds, MSP Airport is temporarily changing its runway protocol.
Instead of using the two parallel runways at the airport, Runways 12L/30R and 12R30L, planes are being directed to use Runway 22, which is positioned at a different angle. The Metropolitan Airports Commission said in a statement Thursday that Runway 22 is the best for the current winds that are blowing around 25 mph from the southwest.
According to MAC, Air Traffic Controllers assign flights to runways based on the best headwind for takeoff and landing, especially when speed exceed 10 miles per hour.
Just before 10:15 a.m., MSP Airport tweeted that at the time, they only had one runway operating because of the wind gusts.
As of 3 p.m., MSP's website reported more than 180 delayed departures and arrivals.
For flight updates and delays, travelers should check with their specific airlines.
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