Blustery conditions are sparking some grass fire activity and small-scale power outages Tuesday.
Allen-Admire fire crews were dispatched to 211 East South in Admire early Tuesday afternoon. Early indications are an undetermined amount of hay bales are at least threatened as of 2:45 pm. Additional details are currently pending.
Red flag warnings, signaling automatic burn bans for affected area counties, and wind advisories continue. Southerly wind gusts have been between 35-45 mph since before 9 am, coupled with temperatures approaching 90 degrees.
The winds have also caused isolated outages in or near Olpe, Virgil and Waverly on Tuesday afternoon.
Wind speeds will stay high Tuesday evening as showers and storms may develop and move across the area. The Storm Prediction Center has increased the risk level areawide from marginal, the lowest on the SPC’s five-point scale, to slight, or the next level up. Wind and hail remain the main concerns, although an isolated tornado is still possible.
KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media will keep you updated. KVOE’s volunteer Storm Team spotter network has been alerted and will provide reports if severe weather conditions warrant.
5:30 am Tuesday: Outdoor burns banned areawide with red flag warnings posted; low-end severe weather risk still ahead Tuesday night
Outdoor burns are banned across all area counties as another day of warm, dry and windy conditions comes to Kansas.
Red flag warnings, meaning critical fire danger, have been announced for Lyon and all surrounding counties from 10 am to 11 pm, with wind advisories up for all area counties between 1 pm Tuesday and 1 am Wednesday. Winds will be as high as 50 mph, combined with relative humidity levels at 25 percent or below for most the afternoon and early evening hours and high temperatures approaching 90 degrees.
This comes as one of Lyon County’s biggest grass fires of the season — if not the biggest — developed in far less breezy conditions early Monday afternoon. Close to 400 acres burned as the result of a controlled burn that got away near Roads 380 and C, nearly 25 miles northwest of Emporia. Allen-Admire, Americus and Council Grove firefighters eventually got that blaze under control.
The fire danger is the lead weather risk for area counties, but the entire KVOE listening area is now in a marginal risk for severe weather with a decent chance of storms from mid-evening to shortly after midnight. Wind and hail are the main concerns, but an isolated tornado isn’t being ruled out at this time.
Stay with KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media for updates.
