Sunday night’s heavy rainfall has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood warning for central Lyon County.
The river-based warning involves the Neosho at Emporia from Monday evening to Tuesday evening. As of 6 am Monday, the river was at 10.6 feet. Flood stage is 19 feet, and the current forecast has the Neosho reaching 19.4 feet around midnight before going below flood stage Tuesday morning.
Minor flooding is expected from Dunlap to Neosho Rapids. Prairie Street north of the bridge floods at 19.5 feet.
The flood warning is the latest evidence of severe thunderstorm activity that blasted the area with wind gusts approaching 80 mph at times, downing tree limbs of varying diameters and, in some cases, fully-grown trees. Besides causing travel issues in Emporia due to the sheer number of downed tree limbs or shifted Polycarts, the high winds also caused a lot of power issues. Over 4,000 Evergy customers areawide lost power at the height of the storm, although that number came down to under 200 by 8 am.
The David Traylor Zoo is closed at least for Monday after storms downed a number of limbs in the zoo and caused the power to go offline for the zoo itself and the Zoo Education Center, which just had its official ribbon-cutting ceremony a few hours earlier.
Storms also led to several small fires — the 2000 block of Canterbury, 920 Constitution, 320 Wilson, 1926 Road M, 1105 East and 421 Cottonwood — initially reported as the 400 block of Exchange. All were storm-related, according to Emporia Fire. Damage was minor with all the fires and there were no injuries reported.
Initially, there was a marginal all-hazard severe weather risk areawide for late Monday night, but that has been removed with no storms now expected after noon Monday. There is still a slight-to-enhanced all-hazard risk for Tuesday late afternoon through early evening.
If you have storm reports or rain totals, message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
Thinking about fixing tree damage yourself? Consider these steps from Lyon County Horticulturist Travis Carmichael
When you start to assess the damage, do not panic and take your time. Depending on the damage, a professional arborist may be needed to be hired to help recover from the damage.
Make sure when assessing the damage look the tree completely. Check to see if the trunk has any cracks, major limbs are cracked or if the soil has been disturbed as these are all signs of structural damage to the tree. If you are uncertain about the damage, it is best to contact an arborist as they have gone through extensive training on tree health. Please be cautious for
arborist who go door to door trying to drum up business. It is in your best interest for you to do your due diligence to select the arborist that is right for you.
If hiring an arborist isn’t an option for you, it is possible to take care of the tree yourself. Here are a few guidelines to follow:
1. Start with the structure — As I stated above any cracks in the trunk, cracks in large branches, or disturbed soil at the base of the trunk are signs of structural damage from which the tree may not be able to recover.
2. Care for the canopy — The canopy of a tree is where the vast majority of the leaves are located. A tree that has lost more than 50 percent of its canopy may not have enough energy to recover from the damage.
3. Saw safety — Never raise a conventional chainsaw above your chest. Powered pole saws are designed to reach up to higher branches. When using either a chainsaw or powered pole saw, make sure to check the area around you for no utility issues. Also make sure to wear hand and eye protection, and always read and follow the manufacturer’s directions for any tool you use.
8:15 am Monday: Cleanup fully underway after storms bring high winds areawide
Severe storms barreled across the KVOE listening area Sunday night, causing widespread tree and equipment damage.
Residential areas of Emporia were hit hard by the winds that hit shortly after 9 pm, with numerous tree limbs of different diameter — if not full trees — brought down. Emporia Public Works closed the 900 block of Walnut and the 1100 block of Neosho until further notice after trees fell down Sunday night, and Lyon County Emergency Communications says there were a lot of places where trees, limbs and power lines were partially to completely blocking traffic. Emporia Police Sgt. Rob Turner says most of that has changed overnight, thanks to the work of Public Works crews, although westbound traffic on Logan is blocked at Commercial and two power poles were snapped along Kansas Highway 99 near the old Fanestil Meats production plant. Several stoplights were offline until around 2 am.
Speaking of power lines, over 3,000 Evergy customers were offline in Emporia shortly after the storms, as well as almost 450 Olpe customers and nearly 60 customers in Council Grove. That number is now down to under 400 areawide. Outages were definitely in towns large and small alike Sunday, but Evergy spokesperson Courtney Lewis says the utility’s focus is to reduce the overall outage number as quickly as possible.
Storms also led to at least two possible fires, including a reported structure fire in the 2000 block of Canterbury and a tree fire in the 400 block of South Exchange. Details are pending. No injuries have been reported.
National Weather Service meteorologist Brandon Drake tells KVOE News the atmosphere was primed for a high-wind event.
Storm reports:
*KVOE studios: 1 inch rain
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 64 mph wind, 0.72 inches rain
*Fifth and Garfield: 0.90 inches rainfall
*10th and Weaver: 0.95 inches rainfall
*300 block Arundel: 2 inches rainfall
*Coronado Avenue: 1.60 inches rainfall
*Deerbrook Addition: 1.10 inches rainfall
*Mount Vernon Terrace: 1.25 inches rainfall
*700 block Sunnyslope: 1.50 inches rainfall
*900 block Graphic Arts: 2.90 inches rainfall
*1100 block Constitution: 1.10 inches rainfall
*1 mile east of Emporia: 76 mph wind
*1 mile northeast of Emporia: 60 mph wind
*7 miles southwest of Emporia: 1.25 inches rainfall
*Road 20 south of Hartford: 0.60 inches rainfall
*1000 block Road 220: 0.90 inches rainfall
*Allen: Over 4 inches rainfall
*3 miles south of Allen: 1.03 inches rainfall
*Americus: 1-1.50 inches rainfall
*Bushong: 2.23 inches rainfall
*Eureka Milliken Airport: 60 mph wind
*Hartford: 0.50 inches rainfall
*Between Hartford and Olpe: 0.60 inches rainfall
*Kansas Highway 99 at Lyon-Greenwood county line: 0.60 inches rainfall
*Matfield Green: Cedar tree blown over
*Neosho Rapids: 0.85 inches rainfall
*Olpe: 1.50 inches rainfall
*1 mile west-southwest of Osage City: 70 mph wind
*Reading: 0.50 inches rainfall
*Strong City: 0.90 inches rain
*4 miles north of Virgil: 60 mph wind
*4 miles east of Wilsey: 70 mph wind
Officially, there is a marginal all-hazard risk for the area late Monday night, followed by a slight-to-enhanced all-hazard risk for Tuesday evening.
If you have storm reports or rain totals, message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
Click here for KVOE’s YouTube channel, including videos from Sunday night’s storm activity.
10 pm Sunday: Widespread tree damage noted in, near Emporia after storms
Storms began moving into Emporia shortly after 9 pm, downing numerous branches of varying diameters and, in some cases, complete trees. Polycarts were shoved into local streets, as were at least one plastic playground set and a shopping cart.
Power outages have been legion, with over 3,000 Evergy customers in Emporia, nearly 500 in and around Olpe and almost 60 in Council Grove offline at some point Sunday evening.
Storms also led to at least two possible fires, including a reported structure fire in the 2000 block of Canterbury and a tree fire in the 400 block of South Exchange. Details are pending.
If you have storm reports or rain totals, message the Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line at 620-342-5863.
6:45 pm Sunday: Lyon, most surrounding counties in severe thunderstorm watch until 2 am; PDS severe storm watch continues west of Emporia
Severe weather west of Emporia is supposed to cross the KVOE listening area Sunday evening.
All area counties are under one of two severe thunderstorm watches. Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties are in a watch until 2 am Monday for potential hazards including wind gusts to 85 mph, egg-sized hail and isolated tornadoes. Further west, Chase and Morris counties are in a particularly dangerous situation severe thunderstorm watch until 10 pm for the risk of 90 mph winds, softball-sized hail and isolated twisters.
KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates.
3 pm Sunday: Chase, Morris counties in particularly dangerous situation severe thunderstorm watch until 10 pm
Tornadoes are unlikely, but the Storm Prediction Center has two nearby counties in a particularly dangerous situation severe thunderstorm watch until 10 pm.
Chase and Morris counties are in the watch for the risk of “widespread damaging winds expected with scattered significant gusts to 90 mph likely.” The secondary risk is widespread hail, with some 4-inch or softball-sized hail possible
Initially, separate supercells are expected along with all hazards. The current thought has those supercells forming fast-moving “bow echoes,” or line segments where the middle is well ahead of the segment ends — increasing the risk of damaging winds.
Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates the next several days. If you haven’t already joined KVOE’s social media channels, find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube — all @kvoenews — as well as on X@kvoeam1400.
8 am Sunday: 80 mph wind, egg-sized hail possible Sunday
Severe weather did not cross the KVOE listening area Saturday, but the chances were slim at best. Severe weather could affect the area and much of Kansas by Sunday evening.
Storms are expected to bring wind gusts as high as 80 mph and hail to the size of eggs to central Kansas. Tornadoes can’t be completely ruled out but are listed as highly unlikely.
Storms may not have that kind of punch as they move across Lyon and surrounding counties during the early to mid-evening hours, but they are still expected to be severe before weakening as they move into Missouri.
Officially, there is a slight-to-enhanced severe weather risk for Sunday evening, with areas along and west of an Osage City-to-Hartford-to Eureka line in the enhanced risk area.
More severe weather is at least possible to start the work week. The Storm Prediction Center says area counties are in a slight all-hazard risk for Monday, followed by a slight-to-enhanced all-hazard risk Tuesday.
8:30 pm Saturday: Severe storm chances prevalent Sunday through Tuesday
After several days of sunshine and warm temperatures, stormy conditions look to be the common theme for the end of the weekend and the early half of the coming work week.
The KVOE listening area is currently in a slight risk area for severe storm activity in the late evening to overnight hours Sunday. The main hazards will be large hail and damaging winds, however, an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out at this time.
Storm chances will continue through Tuesday with a chance of some scattered showers and storms but no current severe weather risk on Thursday. Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates as needed.
