River levels continue their ascent above flood stage after heavy rainfall which began the week.
The Marais des Cygnes near Reading is currently sitting at 21.98 as of noon Tuesday well above the flood stage of 19 and also above the expected crest of 20.6. Road Y-5 near the gauge site remains flooded at last word. Current projections have the river dropping below flood stage sometime after noon Wednesday.
The Cottonwood from Emporia to Cottonwood Falls remains in a flood warning until early Friday is quickly approaching the flood stage of 20 feet sitting at 19.5 feet as of 11:30 am Tuesday. The Neosho at Neosho Rapids is also in a warning until early Friday and currently sits at 20.51 feet below the flood stage of 22.
A full list of local road closures may be found below. Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates. Make sure to follow us on Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews for instant alerts.
If you have storm reports or photos, email kvoe@kvoe.com or post directly to KVOE’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Also, make sure to download the free KVOE mobile app so you can take KVOE’s severe weather coverage with you wherever you go.
11 am Tuesday: UPDATE: Lyon County road closure list rapidly expands; Marais des Cygnes near Reading above initial crest projection
Rivers keep rising after heavy rainfall totals Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Lyon County rivers jumped 10 to 15 feet in 12 hours after rain started around 6 pm Monday. The Marais des Cygnes near Reading is the first river in flood, currently at 21.3 feet or above flood stage of 19 and above the expected crest of 20.6. This means Road Y-5 is flooded near the gauge site. The river could go below flood stage after noon Wednesday.
Other Lyon County rivers are rapidly approaching flood stage, with the Cottonwood from Emporia to Cottonwood Falls and the Neosho from Emporia to Neosho Rapids in flood warnings until early Friday. Several Lyon County roads are closed at this time — and some hadn’t reopened since flooding ended last weekend. The current list:
*Road 140 from H to K-5
*Road 145 from G to H
*Road 150 from E to F; from H to K-5; from Kansas Highway 99 to M; from N to R
*Road 155 from K to K-5
*Road 240 between D and F; at G
*Road E between 140 and 150
*Road A from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B2 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B5 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road D north of 150
*Road E north of 150
*Road G south of US Highway 50; south of 160
*Road G5 south of 160
*Road H from 140 to 145
*Road K from 130 to 155
*Road J from 130 to 160
*Road M from 137 to 150
*Road P from 140 to 150
*Road R from 140 to 160
Several roads are also closed elsewhere in the KVOE listening area:
Chase County
*227th Road
*240th Road
Coffey County
*Lake Road west of New Strawn
Greenwood County
*Numerous low-water crossings closed. 200th and EE Road has water over it but is not currently listed as closed. Several streets in Eureka are underwater but are considered passable
Council Grove Reservoir, John Redmond Reservoir and Melvern Lake are all high at this time, but the Army Corps of Engineers is not planning any releases any time soon because of the ongoing flooding situation.
A marginal risk of severe weather is up for Lyon and surrounding counties Tuesday. Hail and high winds are the main concerns.
Severe weather was limited to hail and high winds. Hail to the size of quarters was reported in Emporia and Madison, while hail to tennis ball size was reported near Gridley.
In Osage County, the main problem was high wind. Sheriff Laurie Dunn says trees were downed and roofs were damaged in Osage County. Lyndon had several business buildings damaged, and the Vassar area saw homes, barns and farm equipment destroyed. Winds were estimated as high as 80 mph at times Monday night.
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates. Make sure to follow us on Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews for instant alerts. If you have storm reports or photos, email kvoe@kvoe.com or post directly to KVOE’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Also, make sure to download the free KVOE mobile app so you can take KVOE’s severe weather coverage with you wherever you go.
9 am Tuesday: Emporia’s flood-affected roads and intersections reopen
Travel in Emporia is back to normal after heavy rain Monday night and early Tuesday. Travel outside of Emporia may not return to normal until later this week, depending on the destination.
Emporia had several streets and intersections closed due to flooding, but those have all reopened to traffic.
*Road 150 between E and F; from Kansas Highway 99 to M
*Road 240 between D and F; at G
*Road E between 140 and 150
*Road A from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B2 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B5 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road D north of 150
*Road E north of 150
*Road G south of US Highway 50; south of 160
*Road G5 south of 160
After several large hail reports in Lyon, Coffey and Greenwood counties Monday night, a marginal risk for hail and high winds exists areawide for Tuesday evening. Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
8:20 am Tuesday: List of Emporia, Lyon County road closures expanding with second round of floods underway
Expect detours in and around Emporia as flooding re-develops across the KVOE listening area.
Heavy rain from Monday evening fell on ground saturated from 3-7 inches of rain from last week to cause a slew of road closures, including all downtown underpasses, or spots with water covering streets in Emporia. All underpasses reopened after being closed for about an hour, but the city of Emporia has closed certain intersections:
*Sixth at Congress, Lincoln and Merchant
*South at Prairie
*12th and East; from Burlingame to Whildin
*West from Sixth to Eighth
Lyon County
*Road 150 between E and F
*Road 240 between D and F; at G
*Road E between 140 and 150
*Road A from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B2 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B5 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road G south of US Highway 50
The county closure list combines with the list of roads that hadn’t opened yet after flooding last week:
*Road 150 from Hwy 99 east to M
*Road D north of 150
*Road E north of 150
*Road G south of 160
*Road G5 south of 160
Several specific flooding episodes have been reported. At Council Grove Lake, several docks are underwater, so campers are being moved away from the water’s edge. At Lake Kahola, close to a foot of water has risen into the boathouse.
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates. Make sure to follow us on Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews for instant alerts.
8 am Tuesday: Lyon County road closure list expands; county-wide flood warnings issued
For the second time in as many weeks, floodwaters are flowing across parts of the KVOE listening area.
Several Lyon County roads are closed after anywhere from 1.5 to 4 inches of rain since Monday evening, combined with 3 to 7 inches of rain areawide last week. These roads were closed Monday night or Tuesday morning:
*Road 150 between E and F
*Road 170 between F and G
*Road 240 between D and F
*Road E between 140 and 150
*Road A from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B2 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B5 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road G south of US Highway 50
Several roads were still closed due to flooding last week and remain closed at this time:
*Road 150 from Hwy 99 east to M
*Road D north of 150
*Road E north of 150
*Road G south of 160
*Road G5 south of 160
Flood warnings continue as well:
*Flood warning for north Lyon, east Morris and southeast Wabaunsee counties until 1:30 pm
*Flood warning for Greenwood County until 7 pm
*River-based flood warnings for Cottonwood from Emporia to Cottonwood Falls, Neosho from Emporia to Neosho Rapids and Marais des Cygnes above Reading until Friday morning. Details are below.
Rain totals have been heavy areawide.
*KVOE studios: 2.3 inches
*East Emporia: 1.8 to 3 inches
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 2.66 inches
*Allen: 2.4 inches
*Americus: 2.4 inches
*Between Hartford and Olpe: 2.2 inches
*Bushong: 2 inches. Bluff Creek northwest of town reported as flooded
*Council Grove Lake: 4 inches. Several docks underwater, so campers are being moved away from the water’s edge
*Hamilton area: 4 inches
*Hartford: 2.7 inches
*Lake Kahola: 2 inches
*Lebo: 2.4 inches
*Neosho Rapids: 2.75 inches
*Reading: 1.8 to 2.25 inches
*Saffordville: 3.5 inches
*Strong City: 3.25 inches
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates. Make sure to follow us on Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews for instant alerts. If you have storm reports or photos, email kvoe@kvoe.com or post directly to KVOE’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Also, make sure to download the free KVOE mobile app so you can take KVOE’s severe weather coverage with you wherever you go.
7 am Tuesday: Emporia streets back to normal, but more Lyon County roads are closed as flooding resumes
Severe thunderstorms caused flash flooding and other problems in and around Emporia on Monday night.
Storms dumped 1.4 inches of rain before midnight at the KVOE studios along with just under an inch overnight. The Monday night rainfall closed all the downtown underpasses and led to flooding on numerous Emporia intersections. Thankfully, the underpasses and Emporia streets affected by flooding have all reopened to traffic. However, several Lyon County roads are closed and the list will likely get longer Tuesday:
*Road 150 between E and F
*Road 240 between D and F
*Road E between 140 and 150
*Road A from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B2 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
*Road B5 from US Highway 50 to Road 180
Several roads were still closed due to flooding last week:
*Road 150 from Hwy 99 east to M
*Road D north of 150
*Road E north of 150
*Road G south of 160
*Road G5 south of 160
Rain totals have been heavy areawide.
*KVOE studios: 2.3 inches
*East Emporia: 1.8 to 3 inches
*Emporia Municipal Airport: 2.66 inches
*Allen: 2.4 inches
*Americus: 2.4 inches
*Between Hartford and Olpe: 2.2 inches
*Hamilton area: 4 inches
*Lebo: 2.4 inches
*Neosho Rapids: 2.75 inches
*Reading: 1.8 to 2.25 inches
*Saffordville: 3.5 inches
*Strong City: 3.25 inches
Flood and flash flood warnings continue for the area:
*Flash flood warnings for Morris and Wabaunsee counties until 7:45 am
*Flood warning for Greenwood County until 7 pm
*River-based flood warnings for Cottonwood from Emporia to Cottonwood Falls, Neosho from Emporia to Neosho Rapids and Marais des Cygnes above Reading until Friday morning.
None of these rivers are in flood stage, but the Weather Service expects these gauges to go into flood by Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning, depending on the gauge:
*Cottonwood at Emporia could go above flood stage Tuesday night and crest at 23.1 feet Thursday afternoon
*Cottonwood at Plymouth could be in flood by noon and rise to 35.5 feet Wednesday.
*Cottonwood at Cottonwood Falls count go above flood stage by late afternoon and crest at 11 feet Wednesday morning
*Neosho at Emporia could go into flood Wednesday morning and crest at 19.3 feet later in the day
*Neosho at Neosho Rapids could go into flood early Wednesday and crest at 22.7 feet later in the day
*Marais des Cygnes near Reading should go into flood stage by late afternoon and crest at 20.2 feet Tuesday night.
Quarter-sized hail was reported in Emporia and Madison, with golf ball to baseball-sized hail reported on US Highway 50 along the Lyon-Chase county line.
In addition, wind gusts as high as 80 mph downed tree limbs and power poles in Osage City. Both that community and Lyndon were without power for a time.
Stay with KVOE and KVOE.com for updates. Make sure to follow us on Twitter@kvoeam1400 or Facebook@kvoenews for instant alerts. If you have storm reports or photos, email kvoe@kvoe.com or post directly to KVOE’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Click here for Monday’s KVOE News severe weather coverage, including photos from KVOE listeners.
