A tornado watch is now in effect through Tuesday’s late evening hours, affecting the entire KVOE listening area.
The watch covers Lyon and all surrounding counties until 11 pm Tuesday. The National Weather Service anticipates strong to severe thunderstorms could develop anytime between now and late evening hours.
Aside from the tornado risk the main hazards with any storms that develop will be damaging winds, possibly as high 70 mph at times, and large hail up to two plus inches in diameter. A slight severe weather risk remains in place for most of the listening area with an enhanced risk area encompassing Americus, Allen, Reading, Council Grove and Osage City.
On top of the tornado watch, Coffey and Greenwood counties are both under countywide flood watches. The Coffey County watch goes from 8 pm to 9 am Wednesday while the Greenwood County watch is in effect from 8 pm to noon Wednesday.
Storm reports
*Burdick: 1-inch hail
*Florence: 0.75-inch hail
6 am Tuesday: WEATHER: Severe storms, flooding rain possible through Thursday
After a two-day break, we’re back to an extended period of possible severe weather across the KVOE listening area.
Tuesday has a slight-to-enhanced severe weather risk, with areas along and north of a line from Americus to Reading to Melvern in the enhanced risk area. TV-13 meteorologist Doug Meyers says it’s an all-hazard day, with hail as the main risk followed by wind.
Wednesday currently is a slight risk day for the area, although an enhanced risk has set up west of a line from Council Grove to Florence to Wichita. All hazards are possible from late afternoon through late night.
The risk is currently lower for Thursday. It’s listed as marginal areawide.
Besides the severe weather potential, there is also a risk for more flooding. The National Weather Service says areas along and south of US Highway 56 could get anywhere from 1-4 inches of rainfall through Thursday, triggering more flooding after parts of Lyon County got close to 5 inches of rain between Thursday and Sunday. Parts of Coffey County reported over 6 inches of rain during that stretch, and radar-based rainfall estimates have anywhere from 3-9 inches of rain in Greenwood County just for this past weekend. Speaking of Greenwood County, it emerged from a flood warning Monday evening but is now in a flood watch from 8 pm Tuesday to noon Wednesday.
Lyon County reported good news by mid-afternoon Monday, reopening the handful of roads that had closed between Emporia and Neosho Rapids after heavy rainfall this past weekend. An update from Greenwood County is pending.
Given the weather risks this week, be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for forecast updates and severe weather alerts if needed. If you have rainfall amounts or storm information to report, message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
