A lengthy list of road closures have been reported across the listening area after multiple rounds of rainfall since Thursday.
The repeated rounds of precipitation brought 1.70 inches of rainfall to the KVOE rain gauge putting the week’s total at just over four inches since Thursday.
Additional rain totals:
*18th and Briarcliff: 0.75 inches
*Country Club Heights: 1.30 inches
*Neosho Rapids: 1.90 inches
*Reading: 1.5 inches
*4 miles west of Bushong: 1.42 inches
*1200 block of Road 220: 1.5 inches
If you have rain totals or storm reports please message them to the KVOE Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863 or call KVOE at 620-342-1400. The steady stream of rainfall over the past several days led to a number of flood related advisories over the last 48 hours, however, only two remain in effect at this time.
A flood warning continues for the Marais des Cygnes River at Quenemo effecting Osage County through Monday morning.
The river is currently at 24.1 feet, still below the flood stage of 30 feet. The river is expected to crest at just over 30 feet by Sunday evening and return back below flood stage by Monday morning.
A separate flood warning has been extended, yet again, for Greenwood County until 9:30 am Monday.
Road closures have been announced within Lyon County at the following locations:
*Road 150 Closed between Road N & Road R
*Road P closed between Road 140 & road 150
*Road 150 from J to South Kansas Highway 99
*Road J from Road 140 to 150
*Road 150 west of Road R
The following closures have been announced in Greenwood County:
*State Street and 7th Street bridges are closed.
*125th & L Road (Austinville)
*40th & BB Road (Salt Creek Bridge)
*60th & GG Road
*320th & T Road
*330th & R Road
*340th & BB Road (Shellrock Bridge)
*360th & P Road
*375th & K Road
*375th & Y Road
*Highway 58 & BB Road
*330th & T Road is passable for trucks (larger vehicles; recommended small vehicles do not attempt)
Additional closures are possible with more rounds of rainfall expected to close out the weekend with yet another risk for severe storm activity Sunday afternoon and evening. Thankfully, the risk category has been reduced considerably from expectations earlier in the week.
Currently, there is a marginal risk for severe storms along and east of Kansas Highway 99. Any severe storms that develop could produce stong winds up to 60 mph and large hail measuring up to one inch in diameter. The area will then get a short break from the stormy conditions Monday before another round of severe storm chances pop up Tuesday.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for more weather updates as warranted throughout the day.
3:30 am Saturday: WEATHER: Roads closing in Lyon County; Greenwood, south Coffey counties in flood warnings
Saturday’s enhanced-to-moderate risk of severe thunderstorms was verified — just not in the KVOE listening area.
Tornadoes formed in northeast Kansas and also in southeast Kansas, with confirmed tornadoes early Saturday afternoon in Brown and Nemaha counties followed by confirmed tornadoes in Cowley, Elk and Wilson counties. There was a reported tornado approaching Fall River and Fall River State Park as well.
There was also quarter-sized hail near Toronto in Greenwood County during the main severe weather activity, along with brief small hail near downtown Emporia around midnight.
One part of the forecast that verified for part of the area was flooding. Southern Coffey County is in a warning until 11 am after up to 2.5 inches of rain fell through early Sunday with another 1-1.5 inches possible. Separately a flood warning is in effect for the Marais des Cygnes River in Osage County until 7 am Monday.
Meanwhile, Greenwood County was among several in south-central Kansas until 9 am Sunday. The National Weather Service says Greenwood and counties to the southwest got anywhere from 2-6 inches of rain Saturday with another 1-3 inches possible before storms end early Sunday.
Locally, street ponding was noted in the usual central Emporia areas like Ninth between Rural to West and at 12th and Rural. Outside Emporia, however, two Lyon County roads closed early Sunday:
*Road 150 from J to Kansas Highway 99
*Road J from 140 to 150
*Road 150 west of Road R
Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties are in a flood watch until 10 am, with Chase and Greenwood counties in a watch until 1 pm. Sunday still has a marginal-to-slight severe weather risk for all hazards, although the main concerns are 60 mph wind and hail to the size of ping pong balls.
Rain reports as of 2 am Sunday:
*KVOE studios: 1.5 inches
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 0.78 inches
*3.5 miles west of Emporia Golf Course: 0.75 inches
*Ninth and Burns: 2 inches
*18th and Briarcliff: 0.75 inches
*Country Club Heights: 0.87 inches
*Road 180 and D: 0.80 inches
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates. If you have storm or rainfall reports, message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
5:30 pm Saturday: Tornado warning continues for southeast Greenwood County
Severe weather activity continues across southeast Kansas.
A tornado warning affects southeast Greenwood County until 5:45 pm after a confirmed tornado approached Fall River and Fall River State Park. Details are pending, but the storm producing the confirmed tornado has also generated a tornado that moved towards Howard. The Dexter area also had a confirmed tornado as part of the storm complex.
Storms have also produced heavy rain, prompting a flood warning for Greenwood County until 11:30 pm Saturday.
Storm reports
*2 miles southwest of Toronto: Quarter-sized hail
Rain reports
*KVOE studios: 1 inch
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 0.78 inches
*3.5 miles west of Emporia Golf Course: 0.75 inches
*Road 180 and D: 0.80 inches
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
4:30 pm Saturday: Brief heavy rain falls across area; damage reports pending after severe thunderstorm warnings
Damage reports are pending after heavy thunderstorm activity across much of the KVOE listening area Saturday afternoon.
Two clusters of storms generated severe thunderstorm warnings for portions of Lyon, Chase, Greenwood and Morris counties.
Isolated power outages have also been noted in Emporia, Olpe and Osage City.
2:50 pm Saturday: Tornado Watch issued for KVOE Listening Area until 7 p.m.
Strong storms have started to move into the KVOE listening area.
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Lyon, Coffey, Chase, Greenwood, Morris, Wabaunsee and Osage Counties until 7 p.m.
All hazards remain possible, and the National Weather Service continues to mention hail greater than egg size, wind gusts up to 70 mph and strong tornadoes as concerns. Heavy rainfall, up to 2.5 inches, is also possible from mid-evening Saturday into early Sunday, so flood watches are already announced for all area counties Saturday into Sunday.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for forecast updates and instant on-air and online alerts in case of severe weather. If you have severe weather or rain totals to report, message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
11:45 a.m. Saturday: Handful of community, school events postponed or canceled ahead of severe weather risk
Forecasts remain on track for a possibly severe weather event for much of Saturday afternoon through the night hours.
Storms could begin moving into the western portions of the KVOE listening area by early afternoon and approach Emporia by mid-afternoon. Storms from Oklahoma could begin approaching the area by late afternoon or early evening.
All hazards remain possible, and the National Weather Service continues to mention hail greater than egg size, wind gusts up to 70 mph and strong tornadoes as concerns. Heavy rainfall, up to 2.5 inches, is also possible from mid-evening Saturday into early Sunday, so flood watches are already announced for all area counties Saturday into Sunday.
With the severe weather risk possibly developing Saturday afternoon, several public shelters will be available if needed.
*Chase County: Chase County Elementary School, Chase County High School, Lake Kahola
*Morris County: Morris County Courthouse basement
*Kansas Turnpike Authority: Emporia mile marker 127, Emporia service exit mile marker 132, Matfield Green service exit 97, Admire-Council Grove mile marker 147
Emporia and Lyon County do not have any designated public shelters. Lyon County Emergency Management Director Jarrod Fell encourages residents to make sure they have a sheltering plan in place before storms move across the area, regardless of their event and travel circumstances this weekend.
Several community or school activities have been postponed or have announced potential readjustments.
*Beacon for Hope Suicide Prevention has canceled its third annual Mad Sad Glad event Saturday.
*Bloom House Youth Services has postponed its Dungeons and Dragons activity Saturday.
*Camp Wood YMCA open house Saturday has been canceled.
*Emporia High promenade Saturday has moved inside Emporia State Memorial Union.
*ESU Stingers dance team auditions have been postponed to May 5.
*SOS community ride Saturday was canceled.
*USD 243 Lebo High School is tentatively planning for prom Saturday, but the school says nobody will leave the school if storms are underway during prom and the school will not dismiss students to after-prom in case of storms. If after-prom needs to be postponed, it will be held in early May.
*USD 284 Chase County will have prom Saturday. Promenade will be in the north gymnasium at 8 pm, followed by prom in high school west gymnasium and after-prom activities in the high school commons.
*USD 390 Hamilton prom has been postponed to Sunday evening. Promenade will begin at 6 pm at the elementary school west side.
*USD 330 Mission Valley has postponed prom until May 4.
5 am Saturday: Area under enhanced to moderate risk for all hazards Saturday
Strong and severe thunderstorms look to be possible areawide Saturday afternoon and evening.
National Weather Service meteorologist John Woynick tells KVOE News there could be two rounds of storms crossing the area after noon.
All hazards are possible, including egg-sized hail or larger, wind gusts up to 70 mph and a few strong to violent tornadoes. Most of the KVOE listening area is in an enhanced risk, or Level 3 risk from the Storm Prediction Center, but areas along and south of a line from LeRoy to Eureka to Leon are in a moderate risk or Level 4.
Flooding is also a concern, especially by mid-evening through the overnight hours into Sunday.
This follows the 1.5-3.5 inches of rain areawide Thursday.
Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties are in a flood watch from noon Saturday to 10 am Sunday. Chase and Greenwood counties are in a separate flood watch from 4 pm Saturday to 1 pm Sunday. The flood warning for the Neosho River at Emporia that was issued Friday has been canceled.
Saturday’s severe weather potential follows an active Friday, which saw tornadoes confirmed in Allen, Bourbon and Wilson counties and two tornado warnings for Greenwood County. It also precedes another round of potential severe weather activity Sunday, which still has a marginal to slight risk for the afternoon and evening hours — with the slight risk ongoing along and east of Kansas Highway 99. Hail up to the size of ping pong balls, gusts to 60 mph and isolated tornadoes are possible.
With more severe weather possible through the upcoming weekend, be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for forecast updates and instant on-air and online alerts in case of severe weather. If you have severe weather or rain totals to report, message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
