A line of powerful thunderstorms brought the KVOE listening area its first tornadoes of the season Wednesday.
Storms began pushing into Chase and Morris counties around 6:30 pm. One cluster generated a brief tornado that touched down near the Kansas Turnpike’s Matfield Green service exit shortly before 7 pm. The twister stayed in open country and caused no damage or injuries.
The same cluster later produced reports of a funnel cloud near Melvern Lake’s Turkey Point area shortly before a tornado was confirmed at BETO Junction. Coffey County Emergency Management Director Russel Stukey:
The Coffey County activity developed in such a way that Lebo residents had virtually no warning before the heart of the storm was upon them. National Weather Service meteorologist Brandon Drake says his office puts a great deal of thought into when it issues tornado warnings.
Damage reports are pending. A possible tornado touchdown was also reported southwest of Lebo, with a separate possible touchdown pictured southwest of Hartford.
In addition, the line of storms produced high straight-line winds. Tree limbs were downed and a power outage developed five miles west of Madison after a 70-mph gust was reported by Greenwood County deputies. Wind gusts as high as 67 mph were reported near Cottonwood Falls and Saffordville. Tree limbs as wide as 10 inches were downed near Westphalia.
A tree fell into a power line near Olpe, knocking power offline to about 20 Lyon-Coffey customers. A separate outage developed north of Emporia that caused another 200 Lyon-Coffey customers to lose power.
Hail wasn’t widespread but was notable where it fell. Golf ball-sized hail was reported near Burlington and Lamont, with quarter-sized hail reported near Marion.
Moderate to heavy rain fell quickly at the lead edge of the storms, with anywhere from 0.50 inches at the KVOE studios to 0.70 inches near Emporia.
KVOE News is contacting area law enforcement and emergency personnel for damage assessments. Stay tuned to KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for more information on Wednesday night’s storms.
Photo by Mike Darbyshire
Photo by Sydney Mercer and Colton Crouch
Photo by Tonya Combes
Photos by Corintha Morris
Photos by Brandon Peoples/KVOE News
2 pm: Tornado, flash flood watches in effect for KVOE listeners
Confidence is increasing for strong to severe thunderstorm activity across the KVOE listening area Wednesday afternoon and evening.
A tornado watch has been issued for Lyon and all surrounding counties until 10 pm. Tornadoes, hail to the size of apples — a shade bigger than baseballs — and wind gusts up to 80 mph are all possible as storms develop Wednesday afternoon.
In addition, a flash flood watch has been issued for Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties through 7 am Thursday. Up to two inches of rainfall is now expected areawide with locally higher totals.
Prior to the watch being issued, the Storm Prediction Center again expanded its moderate risk area for Wednesday’s potential. There is a moderate risk for all severe weather hazards, including hurricane-force winds, very large hail and rain-wrapped, possibly intense tornadoes. TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers:
In addition, there could be pockets of heavy rainfall and isolated flooding. Numerous cloud-to-ground lightning strikes are also expected.
Storms could move across the KVOE listening area any time after 4 pm, and there could be several rounds of storm activity before this episode comes to an end.
Make sure to say with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for the latest weather developments.
6:40 am Wednesday: High wind the main risk if storms develop as expected Wednesday
A breezy morning could lead to a stormy afternoon and evening across the eastern half of Kansas.
Storms are expected to push across the KVOE listening area by early evening, and some could be strong to severe. TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers says all severe weather hazards are possible, but the main concern is high wind.
Kansas had gone without any tornado touchdown from January to Tuesday afternoon — the first time since 1980 the state went through the first four months of the year without a tornado. That changed with 14 reported touchdowns in north-central Kansas, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Damage reports have been isolated. No injuries were reported. Meyers says a tornado risk exists Wednesday, although not to the significance of Tuesday.
More thunderstorms, including some strong activity, is possible Thursday afternoon and early evening. It could be another all-hazards day, although Meyers says that is largely contingent on how storms develop Wednesday.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for the latest as the weather situation develops Wednesday and Thursday. We also encourage you to join KVOE on Facebook and Twitter so you can get instant weather alerts — watches and warnings — wherever you may be.
