Strong storm systems brought an extended risk of severe storm potential to the KVOE listening area, but the overall impacts were relatively minor compared to the overall threat.
The listening area saw several tornado warnings issued Friday evening mainly affecting parts of Greenwood, Morris and Wabaunsee counties, however, tornadic activity stayed clear of the listening area. The closest confirmed tornadic activity was located in Butler and Dickinson counties.
High winds still made an impact in the area as a semi accident near the Flint Hills cattle pens exit on the Kansas Turnpike affected traffic for roughly an hour late Friday night. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, a semi was traveling in the vicinity when it was struck by high gusts forcing it to overturn in the roadway.
The driver was unharmed, however, left lane traffic in both directions was impacted as authorities worked to remove the semi from the scene.
A string of power outages also developed over the course of the evening affecting roughly 100 Evergy customers in and around Strong City and Cottonwood Falls with another 60 customers in Eureka also losing power at one time. Evergy had the outages restored shortly after they developed.
Rain totals varied somewhat across portions of the listening area.
*KVOE Studios: Trace amounts
*Reading: 0.10 inches
*South of Lebo: 0.15 inches
Quarter-sized hail was also reported near LeRoy.
If you have rain or hail reports from Friday’s activity, call KVOE at 620-342-1400 or email kvoe@kvoe.com. You can also text rain totals and hail photos to the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
10:42 pm Friday:
Strong thunderstorms brought an extended risk of severe thunderstorms Friday evening, but no severe weather was confirmed.
Several tornado warnings were announced, including parts of Greenwood, Morris and Wabaunsee counties. Tornadic activity stayed out of the KVOE listening area, with the closest tornadoes in Butler and Dickinson counties.
Area counties were under a tornado watch for most of Friday evening. Once that was cleared, Greenwood County was named as part of a severe thunderstorm watch active until 6 am Saturday.
Areawide, severe weather reports were limited to quarter-sized hail near LeRoy. A wreck involving a semi near the Flint Hills cattle pens exit on the Kansas Turnpike has not been confirmed as weather-related. Close to 100 Evergy customers lost power in and around Strong City and Cottonwood Falls, while another 60 residents lost power in Eureka.
The area was in an enhanced and moderate-severe weather risk with all hazards possible for the evening hours.
If you have rain or hail reports from Friday’s activity, call KVOE at 620-342-1400 or email kvoe@kvoe.com. You can also text rain totals and hail photos to the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
10:36 pm Friday:
Severe thunderstorm activity remains a possibility areawide.
Current warnings
*Greenwood County: Severe thunderstorm warning until 11 pm.
KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media will keep you updated.
5 pm Friday: Areawide tornado watch in place until 11 pm
Severe thunderstorm activity, capable of producing all hazards, remain a possibility in the forecast for the KVOE listening area.
A tornado watch has been issued for the entire KVOE listening area until 11 pm Friday. TV-13 meteorologist Thomas Schmidt says storm activity is expected in two waves across the listening area with the strongest storms, and greatest tornado risk, possible between now and 6 pm.
The second line of storms is expected to form between now and midnight which could bring damaging winds upwards of 70 mph with large hail also possible.
A wind advisory continues for Chase and Greenwood counties until 10 pm Friday night. Residents are reminded to have their severe weather plan ready, just in case.
Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates and join KVOE’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter if you haven’t already done so. KVOE’s Storm Team volunteer spotter network will have “ground truth” reports as needed.
Noon Friday: WEATHER: Moderate risk for north half of KVOE listening area; all hazards still possible by late Friday afternoon
A risk of strong to severe thunderstorms — possibly in two different waves — remains in effect for the KVOE listening area Friday.
The Storm Prediction Center expanded a moderate risk area originally for north-central Kansas. It now includes parts of the KVOE listening area just north of Interstate 35 and US Highway 50. An enhanced risk is place for the rest of the listening area.
Isolated storms could form along a dryline, where temperatures are similar but humidity levels are substantially different in front of and behind that weather feature. More widespread storm coverage is likely along a cold front which is behind the dryline.
TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers encourages residents to be ready, just in case storms indeed fire up as expected.
A late-morning update from the National Weather Service indicates all hazards are possible with either round of activity, with the overall risk of severe weather setting up between 5 pm and midnight.
Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates and join KVOE’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter if you haven’t already done so. KVOE’s Storm Team volunteer spotter network will have “ground truth” reports as needed.
5:30 am Friday: Enhanced severe weather risk ahead Friday afternoon, evening
Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across the KVOE listening area Friday.
Thunderstorms before sunrise have posed a low-end severe weather risk for quarter-sized hail and 60 mph winds. An enhanced risk is up for potential activity from mid-afternoon through midnight, reflecting the chance for hail up to 2 inches in diameter or the size of eggs, as well as wind gusts up to 70 mph and “a few tornadoes.”
Storms later Friday could form both along a dryline and along a cold front further to the west, so conceivably there could be two rounds of storms after noon. The enhanced risk for Friday follows an enhanced risk from April 12 when there were just a handful of storms — none in the area — and no severe weather. TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers calls severe weather forecasting a puzzle.
It will be a windy day areawide. Wind advisories for Chase and Greenwood counties have now been extended and now run from 1 pm Friday to 1 am Saturday. Southerly wind gusts could be as high as 45 mph in the alerted counties and up to 40 mph elsewhere across the listening area.
