Lyon County Highway Department crews made good progress on restoring traffic flow on several gravel roads Tuesday.
The Highway Department reopened the following
*Road M from 190 to 197
*Road M-7 from 160 to 165
*Road 165 from M to M-7
*Road 190 from K to Kansas Highway 99
A few county roads remain closed:
*Road K from 190 to 210
*Road N-5 from 175 to 180
*Road 180 from Burlingame to N-5
Closures follow rain totals ranging from 0.40-6.25 inches in Lyon County early Tuesday.
2 pm Tuesday: Downtown Emporia in cleanup mode after heavy rain Tuesday; handful of Lyon County roads currently closed
*Road 180 from Burlingame to N-5
Noon Tuesday: Two Lyon County roads close after flooding early Tuesday; flood warnings now up for parts of Lyon, Coffey, Osage counties
Two Lyon County roads are officially listed as closed after flooding rainfall early Tuesday.
Road N-5 from 175 to 180
Road 180 from Burlingame to N-5
Meanwhile, the Mechanic Street underpass was closed for a time Tuesday but has reopened. Burlingame Road needed a flagger and pilot car to get traffic northeast of Emporia but is now fully open.
Central Lyon County, including Emporia, Americus and Neosho Rapids, were in a flash flood warning for much of the morning. The flash flood warning has transitioned into a flood warning until 4:30 pm. Portions of Coffey and Osage counties, also in a flash flood warning for much of the morning, were also moved to a flood warning until 1:45 pm. The warning includes Lebo and Waverly.
More thunderstorms are possible Wednesday evening through Thursday. The area is in a slight-to-marginal severe weather risk for Wednesday evening, with areas just north of Emporia in an all-hazards slight risk. The rest of the area, including Emporia, are in a marginal risk for hail and wind. All area counties are in a marginal severe weather risk for Thursday.
9 am Tuesday
Flash flooding is underway across Lyon County and in Emporia Tuesday.
A flash flood warning goes until 10:45 am for Central Lyon County including Emporia, Americus and Neosho Rapids. The warning follows several reports of water rescues across Emporia including at 6th and Stratford, 12th and Henry, the 1300 block of Prairie, the 300 block of State Street, Randolph and South Washington and Walnut and South just between 6 am and 8 am.
All water rescues have been cleared with no injuries reported so far.
Lyon County Emergency Communications reported via its Facebook page it has also received several calls from out in the county and are sending crews to assist. Residents are asked to be patient and not try to leave their vehicles until crews can arrive to help.
The flooding has also led to some schedule adjustments including the closure of the Emporia Municipal Court Tuesday. Notices will be sent to all who had appearances scheduled for Tuesday to reschedule those hearings.
USD 253 Emporia buses for Jump Start have been delayed. Road closures have been reported on the North Highland Emporia State University campus with flood waters also reported over Burlingame Road north of the Interstate 35 intersection and the underpass at State Street and Congress.
The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office is asking drivers to avoid traveling if at all possible due to the flooding. For those who cannot avoid traveling, use your lights and if you come across flood waters turn around and don’t drown. Lyon County Undersheriff John Koelsch tells KVOE News drivers will still need to use caution even as waters begin to recede as there may be stalled vehicles in the roadway.
On top of the flooding that has stretched emergency crews thin, utility crews have been busy dealing with several power outages including a major outage in western Emporia.
The outage was reported just before 6 am and affected nearly 800 customers from Dryer Park to Jones Park north to east and Dryer Park to Weaver Street north to south. Evergy crews have been working to restore the outage which is now under 100 as of 8 am.
A full restoration time is currently pending.
At the KVOE studios we received 5.30 inches of rainfall. Additional totals include:
2200 Block of Mount Vernon Terrace: 4.2 inches
2200 Block of West 22nd: 6 inches
1100 Constitution Street: 5 inches
900 block of Weaver: 4 inches
10th and Weaver: 4.60 inches
20th and Graphic Arts: 4.3 inches
20th Park Place: 4.9 inches
7th and Market: 5.5 inches
Ninth and Luther: 5.2 inches
15th and Center: 5.5 inches
15th and Prairie: 6.23 inches
3500 block West 22nd: 4 inches
1.5 miles northeast of Bethel Corner: 3.34 inches
Burns: 4.5 inches
Garfield: 4.9 inches
1601 Whittier: Over 5 inches
Willow Lane: 5 inches
2100 block J-7: 4.9 inches
3.5 miles west of Emporia Golf Course: 2 inches
Allen: 0.9 inches
Americus: 3 inches
Olpe Blacksmith Shop: 1.5 inches
Council Grove City Lake: 0.80 inches
Greenwood/Lyon County line: 0.40 inches
Reading: 1.7 inches
Strong City: 3 inches
Toledo: 2.97 inches
6:30 am Tuesday:
If your alarm clock didn’t wake you up Tuesday morning, no doubt the scattered thunderstorms that blew through the area did.
Storms began developing shortly after 4 am bringing heavy rainfall with them which led to an areal flood warning for Chase County that continues through 9:45 am. More storms are expected through the late morning hours Tuesday which could produce between 2 to 3 inches of rainfall which has led the National Weather Service to issue a pair of areal flood advisories effecting Lyon County until 9:30 am and Morris County until 9 am.
So far at the KVOE studios we have received 1.7 inches of rainfall.
If you have rain totals please message them to the KVOE Bluestem Farm and Ranch text line or email KVOE@KVOE.com.
Storm activity is expected to continue through Wednesday with a slight severe weather risk in place for northern Lyon County, northern Osage County and all of Morris and Wabaunsee counties in the late afternoon and evening hours. The main hazards will be damaging winds up to 60 mph or more, large hail up to an inch in diameter and more heavy rainfall.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for more updates as they develop.
