The National Weather Service has confirmed a small tornado touched down in the Madison city limits Wednesday evening.
The Weather Service says an EF-0 tornado touched down on the southern end of town, moving southeast to damage a camper carport and nearby trees. The most significant damage was to a carport, which was broken into several pieces and scattered.
Early estimates indicate the tornado was up to 100 yards wide at the base, traveled less than half a mile before it dissipated and was on the ground for four minutes. Estimated peak winds were around 75 mph. No injuries were reported.
2:15 pm Thursday: Cleanup underway in Madison after Wednesday night storms
The National Weather Service hasn’t given its official determination on whether straight-line winds or a low-level tornado touched down in Madison on Wednesday night.
Regardless, cleanup started around 1 am after reports of trees and tree limbs downed, carports damaged and isolated building damage once the storms cleared the area. By noon Thursday, much of the tree debris had been either set aside or hauled off. Building damage was isolated and limited to awnings or roofs.
Greenwood County Sheriff Heath Samuels says authorities were watching to the north as the storm approached out of southern Lyon County.
Eureka Fire and Greenwood County Fire helped with the initial response and were involved in flying a drone to see the damage from above. Luke Westerman of Eureka Fire says there was good coordination between different agencies that responded.
Chelsea Williams helped to open Madison’s First Christian Church, the town’s shelter location, as the sirens sounded. When she got home, she found something interesting:
Residents reported two funnels, one just west of Madison and one either on top of the town or just to the east of it.
Because of recent rainfall, Madison residents have been told to dispose of their broken tree limbs at the city dog pound north of town instead of the normal spot at the city lake. Volunteers cleaning up Madison City Park and Madison City Pool have been meeting at the park through the day.
Madison had several power outages during and after the storm, but other city services like water and sewer remained online.
Madison and rural areas around it had several streets and roads closed due to flooding, but there are currently no reports of flooding as of early Thursday afternoon, despite rain totals of 3-5 inches bracketing Madison. Lyon County has just a handful of road closures after rainfall of 1-2 inches from the same storm:
*Road 30 at K; at L
*Road 80 between Y-5 and Z
*Road 123 at W
*Road 145 at V-7
*Road 160 at S
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
8 am-noon Thursday: Damage becoming more evident in Madison from Wednesday night storm cluster
After storms prompted a tornado warning for north Greenwood County on Wednesday night, including the city of Madison, damage is becoming evident in the Madison city limits.
As the storm left the area and ultimately dissipated, reports of a business roof torn off and downed trees were noted. Early Thursday, the Greenwood County Sheriff’s Office confirmed several carports in Madison either damaged or destroyed. It’s unclear if Madison City Pool will open at all Thursday after tree limbs were blown into the pool, and administrators have canceled morning swim lessons.
The National Weather Service is coordinating with the Greenwood County Emergency Management Department and will send a survey team to Madison on Thursday.
Hail reports were limited to the Madison and Olpe areas, with hail to 1.5 inches in diameter just east of Madison and 1-inch hail in Olpe.
Latest rain totals as of 8 am Thursday:
*KVOE studios: 1.3 inches
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 1.11 inches
*1100 block Constitution: 1 inch
*1700 block Wheeler: 1 inch
*18th and Graphic Arts: 1.25 inches
*Country Club Heights: 0.80 inches
*Deerbrook Addition: 1.1 inches
*Hammond Heights: 1.4 inches
*South and Sylvan: 0.80 inches
*Allen: 0.05 inches
*Americus: 0.30 inches
*Hartford: 1.65 inches
*Between Hartford and Olpe: 2.16 inches
*2 miles west of Madison: 3.6 inches
*5 miles east of Madison: 2.1 inches
*5.5 miles west of Madison: 5+ inches (gauge full)
*Olpe: 1.4 to 1.9 inches
*Reading: 0.02 inches
*Roads 20 and T: 3 inches
*Saffordville: 0.20 inches
*Thorndale: 0.85 inches
Close to 900 Evergy customers in north Greenwood County and over 200 from Emporia to the Greenwood County line lost their power as part of the storm activity. All the Lyon County outages have been restored and less than 10 customers are now offline in north Greenwood County.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
Midnight-8 am Thursday: Storm damage in Madison to see further investigation Thursday; flood warning ongoing for north Greenwood County; heat advisories return by noon
Severe storms hit the south half of the KVOE listening area Wednesday night.
Tornado warnings developed for the Olpe and Madison areas as a storm sat on both communities over a two-hour stretch. There is currently no damage reported in Olpe, but there is currently wind damage to a business roof and several trees in the south part of Madison. The National Weather Service is coordinating with the Greenwood County Emergency Management Department and will have a closer look at the damage in the morning.
TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers says storms will sit on a location in certain circumstances.
Up to quarter-sized hail was reported in Olpe, and there was extremely heavy rain — enough to start Lyon County’s fifth round of flooding in as many weeks. Road 80 east of Y-5 was closed after 3-4 feet of water were covering the road. Other road closures:
*Road 30 at K; at L
*Road 123 at W
*Road 145 at V-7
A flood warning is now underway for Greenwood County until 11:30 am. Rain totals:
*KVOE studios: 1.3 inches
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 1.11 inches
*1100 block Constitution: 1 inch
*1700 block Wheeler: 1 inch
*18th and Graphic Arts: 1.25 inches
*Country Club Heights: 0.80 inches
*South and Sylvan: 0.80 inches
*Allen: 0.05 inches
*Hartford: 1.65 inches
*Between Hartford and Olpe: 2.16 inches
*5.5 miles west of Madison: 5+ inches (gauge full)
*Olpe: 1.9 inches
Steamy conditions return to the KVOE listening area Thursday, with all area counties in a heat advisory from 12-8 pm. Air temperatures will be in the mid-90s and heat index readings could be as high as 105. More heat and humidity is expected well into next week.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
7-10pm Wednesday: Storms have caused numerous severe thunderstorm warnings and a few tornado warnings for parts of the KVOE listening area.
10:58 pm Wedensday:
Active warning
*Southeast Chase County and Northern Greenwood County: Severe thunderstorm warning until 11:15 pm. Quarter sized hail and 60 mph wind gusts are the main concerns. Madison, Hamilton, Virgil and Cassoday included
*Northeastern Greenwood County: Flash flood warning until 1:30 am Thursday
*Southeast Lyon County: Flood warning until 11:15 pm. Olpe included.
Road Closures:
*Road 80 East of Y-5 – three to four feet of water over the roadway
Some roof damage and tree damage has been reported in Madison. Greenwood County authorities are investigating the cause.
Nearly 90 Evergy customers are currently offline in Greenwood County.
The Lyon County Emergency Communications Center has also reported the Mechanic Street underpass has been closed due flooding following heavy rainfall through the early half of the storm.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
