Parts of Douglas County under flash flood warning as thunderstorms approach Kansas City
Emergency management officials were warning residents of Douglas County of flash flooding Friday afternoon amid a round of severe weather passing through eastern Kansas toward the Kansas City area.
The National Weather Service for the Topeka area issued an alert Friday afternoon affecting the northwestern section of the county and southern parts of Jefferson County. Radar showed thunderstorms capable of producing between 1 and 2 inches per hour, the weather service said.
Flooding was possible in small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways and places with poor drainage of low-lying areas, the weather service said. Affected areas would include Lawrence, Oskaloosa, Perry, McLouth, Ozawkie, Lecompton and Williamstow, according to the weather service.
The flash flood warning was to remain in effect until 8:30 p.m. Douglas County Emergency Management said on Twitter that those on the road should not attempt to drive through floodwater.
Earlier Friday afternoon, tornado sirens blared in Douglas County as a warning was issued for residents of Lecompton and North Lawrence to immediately seek shelter. Funnels clouds were also spotted in Lawrence, according to the police department.
A warning for severe thunderstorms bringing threats of 80 mph wind gusts and nickel-sized hail was to remain in effect until at least 8 p.m. there as the storm system continued east toward the Kansas City metropolitan area.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued about 2:35 p.m. for parts of Wyandotte, Leavenworth and Johnson counties as severe thunderstorms were located along a line that stretched from Holton to near Perry Lake to near Auburn in Kansas. The storms were moving east at 40 mph.
Wind gusts of 70 mph were expected, along with quarter-sized hail, according to the weather service.
“Hail damage to vehicles is expected,” the weather service warned. “Expect considerable tree damage. Wind damage is also likely to mobile homes, roofs and outbuildings.”
Cities that could be impacted by the storms included Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, Bonner Springs, De Soto, Tonganoxie, Basehor, Edgerton, Linwood, and Easton.
