Monday night’s storms caused a lot of warnings and a lot of heavy rain reports, but not much in the way of severe weather.
Rain totals, including activity before sunrise and after sunset Monday:
*KVOE studios: 2.25 inches
*Emporia Municipal Airport:
*7th and Market: 2.40 inches
*9th and Burns: 2 inches
*10th and Weaver: 2.05 inches
*18th and Briarcliff: 2.21 inches
*Deerbrook Addition: 1.90 inches
*South and Sylvan: 2.10 inches
*1100 block Constitution: 2.45 inches
*Americus: 1.50 inches
*Bazaar: 1.20 inches
*Burlington: 2.97 inches
*Camp Wood: 1.75 inches
*Cottonwood Falls: 1.80 inches, including 1.60 inches after sunset
*Council Grove City Lake: 0.80 inches
*Emporia Energy Center: 1.90 inches
*3 miles east of Emporia Municipal Airport: 2.17 inches
*7 miles southwest of Emporia: 1.50 inches
*Gridley: 2.07 inches
*6 miles north of Gridley: 2.80 inches
*7 miles northwest of Gridley: 3.60 inches
*Kansas Highway 99 at Lyon-Greenwood county line: 2 inches
*Lamont: 3 inches
*5 miles northeast of Lamont: 3.60 inches
*Lebo Heidi Inn: 2.50 inches
*2 miles east of Lyon State Fishing Lake: 3.15 inches, including 1.50 inches after sunset
*7 miles west of Madison: 2 inches
*Melvern: 2.13 inches
*Neosho Rapids: 2 inches
*New Strawn: 2.40 inches
*Olpe Blacksmith Shop: 1.70 inches
*2 miles north of Olpe: 1.90 inches
*1 mile east of Olpe: 2 inches
*5 miles southwest of Olpe: 1.60 inches
*Reading: 2.50 inches
*2.5 miles northeast of Reading: 1.60 inches
*1300 block Road 140: 2 inches
*200 block Road 340: 0.85 inches
*Roads 30 and U: 1.91 inches
*Road 130 3 miles east of Emporia: 2 inches
*Roads 220 and M: 1.70 inches
Given the heavy rainfall reports, flooding was minimal and currently limited to urban and small stream flood advisories for Emporia and parts of Coffey County. Here’s National Weather Service meteorologist Jenifer Prieto:
There were numerous severe thunderstorm warnings for wind and hail. There was no severe-level hail and only isolated wind reports, including wind gusts up to 60 mph and downed trees in Burlington, wind gusts up to 80 mph just east of Council Grove and roof damage in the 500 block of road 370 in northwest Lyon County. There were also three tornado warnings along and just north of US Highway 56 from just east of Council Grove into central Osage County, although no touchdowns or damage were confirmed.
7:45 am Tuesday
Severe storms caused isolated issues across the KVOE listening area Monday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Jenifer Prieto tells KVOE News the general outlook matched up with what happened Monday evening.
Storms caused several tornado warnings along and north of the US Highway 56 corridor from near the Lyon-Morris county line to northwest Osage County, although no tornadic activity was confirmed. Prieto says the warnings came after supercells began congealing into a lengthy line segment.
Bushong’s warning siren did not work Monday night, according to Lyon County Undersheriff John Koelsch, so a Lyon County deputy was in the town using a vehicle siren as a warning device. The Weather Service plans to coordinate with Lyon, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee county officials to see if damage surveys are needed.
Very large hail was another concern that didn’t materialize in widespread fashion, although there was ping-pong-ball-sized hail near Volland.
What did materialize was high wind — up to 60 mph at Burlington and 80 mph just east of Council Grove — and numerous power outages. Evergy had over 2,800 total customers offline in three different areas: Emporia to Dunlap to Admire; Emporia to Burdick to Tonganoxie; and Lyndon to near Waverly to Paola. Flint Hills Rural had close to 1,000 outages, with almost 900 of those in and immediately around Council Grove.
Very heavy rainfall was also noted. Following rain amounts of anywhere from 0.30 to almost 1.70 inches of rainfall early Monday, the nighttime round of storms brought 1.5 inches of rainfall or more to the area. Emporia has also been under an urban and small stream flood advisory due to the heavy rain.
Rain totals:
*KVOE studios: 2.20 inches, including 1.80 inches after sunset
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 0.52 inches, including 0.19 inches after sunset
*10th and Weaver: 2.05 inches, including 1.55 inches after sunset
*18th and Briarcliff: 2.21 inches, including 1.58 inches after sunset
*South and Sylvan: 2.10 inches, including 1.40 inches after sunset
*Americus: 1.50 inches
*Camp Wood: 1.75 inches
*Cottonwood Falls: 1.80 inches, including 1.60 inches after sunset
*Emporia Energy Center: 1.90 inches
*3 miles east of Emporia Municipal Airport: 2.17 inches
*7 miles southwest of Emporia: 1.50 inches
*6 miles north of Gridley: 2.80 inches
*7 miles northwest of Gridley: 3.60 inches
*Kansas Highway 99 at Lyon-Greenwood county line: 2 inches
*Lamont: 3 inches
*Lebo Heidi Inn: 2.50 inches
*2 miles east of Lyon State Fishing Lake: 3.15 inches, including 1.50 inches after sunset
*7 miles west of Madison: 2 inches
*Neosho Rapids: 2 inches
*Olpe Blacksmith Shop: 1.70 inches
*1 mile east of Olpe: 2 inches
*2.5 miles northeast of Reading: 1.60 inches
*1300 block Road 140: 2 inches
*200 block Road 340: 0.85 inches
*Roads 30 and U: 1.91 inches
*Road 130 3 miles east of Emporia: 2 inches
*Roads 220 and M: 1.70 inches
There were at least two entrapment calls for Emporia Fire to handle, one on Graphic Arts and another in the 500 block of Carter. In both cases, trees were reported downed in front of doors, making it impossible for residents to go in or out. Both calls were handled quickly.
A tree fire was also reported at Fifth and Main in southern Admire. The cause hasn’t been announced, but the fire happened during storm activity.
Conditions calm down noticeably Tuesday, with sunshine and sharply cooler high temperatures in the mid-60s. Our next chance of rain develops Wednesday night.
6:15 pm Monday:
Potentially severe storm systems have begun developing just outside of the core KVOE listening area and could become prevalent by the mid to late evening hours.
According to National Weather Service Meteorologist Sarah Teefy, storms began to develop around 4 pm to the west of the area. She anticipates the first round of storm development may become apparent between 6 and 7 pm.
All hazards will be possible with any storms that develop, but at this time, Teefy says the main concern will be for damaging winds as the storms begin to develop into a line. Teefy says the risk is currently moderate to high for tornadic development in areas to our west, with that potential becoming low to moderate by the evening.
That said, a particularly dangerous situation tornado watch has been issued for Morris County until 8 pm Monday.
This is on top of wind advisories for Lyon, Coffey, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee counties until 9 pm and Chase and Greenwood counties until 8 pm. A flood watch is also in effect for Lyon and most surrounding counties until 7 am Tuesday due to the potential for heavy rainfall through the evening to early morning hours.
Be sure to stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for more weather updates as they develop.
10:53 am Monday: Storms likely, severe weather possible by Monday evening
Showers and storms are still highly likely for the KVOE listening area as we get into the mid-evening hours Monday.
Severe weather is not out of the question, either.
Area counties remain in an enhanced to moderate risk, so Levels 3 and 4 on the Storm Prediction Center’s 5-point scale. Areas along and west of the Kansas Turnpike are in the moderate risk area. All hazards are possible, with hail to the size of softballs, wind gusts up to 80 mph and tornadoes.
The main concern is still storm mode. Separated or discrete supercells increase the risk of strong tornadoes and very large hail. Storm lines or line segments push high winds to the top of the list, and it appears storms will be transitioning from supercells to lines as they enter Chase and Morris counties between 6-8 pm.
KVOE and KVOE.com will have updates. If you haven’t joined KVOE’s social media platforms, find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, all @kvoenews, or X@kvoeam1400. If you have storm reports, storm photos or rainfall totals, message the KVOE Bluestem Farm and Ranch Supply text line at 620-342-5863. If you have storm videos, direct message Facebook@kvoenews.
Click here for KVOE’s mid-morning outlook and other content through YouTube.
6:30 am Monday
Showers and storms are likely Monday, and severe weather of some sort is expected.
National Weather Service meteorologist Jenifer Prieto says the atmosphere is highly unstable.
Area counties are in an enhanced to moderate risk, so Levels 3 and 4 on the Storm Prediction Center’s 5-point scale. All hazards are possible, with hail to the size of baseballs, wind gusts up to 80 mph and tornadoes. Prieto says cautions severe weather isn’t guaranteed, and the hazards all hinge on storm form.
Flash flooding is also a concern, and Lyon and most surrounding counties are in a flood watch until 7 am Tuesday. Prieto says areas north and west of Emporia were soaked by storms Sunday night into early Monday. Rain totals so far:
*KVOE studios: 0.40 inches
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 0.33 inches
*3.5 miles west of Emporia Golf Course: 0.40 inches
*9th and Burns: 0.75 inches
*10th and Weaver: 0.50 inches
*1100 block Constitution: 0.55 inches
*South and Sylvan: 0.70 inches
*10 miles southwest of Emporia: 1 inch
*Admire: 1.65 inches
*Allen: 1.50 inches
*Cottonwood Falls: 0.20 inches
*Emporia Energy Center: 0.70 inches
*Hartford: 0.35 inches
*Kansas Highway 99 at Lyon-Greenwood county line: 0.25 inches
*Lebo Heidi Inn: 0.60 inches
*Neosho Rapids: 0.65 inches
*Reading: 1.50 inches
*500 block Road 290: 0.90 inches
*200 block Road 340: 1.33 inches
*2200 block Road M: 0.80 inches
*Toledo: 0.28 inches
Current indications have storms developing by 3-5 pm in central and north-central Kansas before slowly pushing east. Widespread storms could be across the KVOE listening area by mid-evening, with showers and storms continuing well past midnight.
Meanwhile, much of the KVOE listening area is without power. Evergy’s outage map shows an outage stretching from Cedar Point to Emporia and north Lyon County through much of Osage County and all the way northeast to Tonganoxie. Close to 1,100 customers went offline shortly after 6:40 am.
