Kansas City Faces Tornado Threat as Severe Weather Builds
Tornado – The Weather Channel, KOLN, and Alton Telegraph report that isolated severe storms midweek will give way to more organized activity this weekend. On Saturday, storms are likely to develop along a dryline and warm front in the Central Plains, producing large hail and strong winds, with some forming into clusters that persist into the night over Iowa and Missouri. By Sunday, a broader corridor from southern Minnesota to Oklahoma could see severe thunderstorms, while Monday’s cold front may extend the threat from Texas toward the Great Lakes.
What Should You Do Before a Tornado?
Find Shelter Locations from High Winds in the Places Where You Spend a Lot of Time
- Find a safe room built to withstand high winds. The next best protection is a small room with no windows on the lowest level of a sturdy building.
- Mobile, manufactured, trailer homes and recreational vehicles (RVs) are not safe in high wind events. Plan ahead by finding a sturdy building to shelter in before a tornado watch or warning.
Practice Tornado Drills
- With your entire household, practice moving quickly to the safe locations that you identified.
- Create a personal support team of people you may assist and who can assist you.
- If you live in a mobile home, practice going to a safe place.
How Can You Stay Safe After a Tornado?
Avoid Injury
- Keep listening to radio, TV or other news sources. Stay in your shelter until the tornado warning is over.
- Do not enter damaged buildings.
- If the building you are in has been damaged, exit with extreme care and stay out. Look around for things that might fall or dangerous debris. Do not use matches or lighters inside. If you smell gas or see spills that could be flammable, leave immediately.
- If you are trapped, try to cover your mouth with a cloth or mask to avoid breathing dust. Try to send a text, bang on a pipe or wall, or use a whistle instead of shouting.
- Watch out for exposed nails and broken glass.
- Stay clear of fallen power lines or broken utility lines.
Clean Up Safely
- Be careful during clean-up. Wear thick-soled shoes, long pants and work gloves to reduce injuries.
- Children should not take part in disaster cleanup work.
- If power is out, use flashlights or battery-powered lanterns to reduce fire risk.
- Be aware of carbon monoxide poisoning. Do not use gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning devices inside a home, basement, garage, tent or camper — or even outside near an open window. Carbon monoxide can’t be seen or smelled, but it can kill you fast. If you start to feel sick, dizzy or weak, get to fresh air right away — do not delay.
Did Kansas City’s Northland Storm Cause Flash Flooding?
There were no confirmed reports of a tornado touching down. The storm also produced hail about 1 inch in diameter and caused flash flooding in Kansas City’s Northland. “Areas that do not typically flood are reporting to have flooded with lots of running water,” a weather service employee reported. Water rescues were reported on the ramp to northbound Interstate from Northeast Chouteau Trafficway and near Missouri 9 and Northwest Briarcliff Parkway.
A large tree was blocking a road near Riverside and several large branches were downed near Swift Street and East 28th Avenue in North Kansas City. A flash flood warning remains in effect for parts of the northeastern Wyandotte County and southwestern Clay County and southeastern Platte County. As of 6 a.m., the thunderstorms have ended, but between 1.5 and 3 inches of rain fell overnight. Runoff will continue to produce flooding for the next couple of hours, the weather service said.
