By Lucky Kidd
Late Saturday night storms brought high winds, heavy rain and flooding to parts of Kansas Saturday night into early Sunday morning. Wind gusts between 60-70 miles an hour were reported across many areas of southwest into parts of central Kansas, with the highest gust reported at 93 miles an hour northwest of Kalvesta in Finney County. The storms also brought heavy rain that caused flooding in several areas and prompted aerial flood warnings in several locations.
A flood warning has been issued for Cow Creek above Hutchinson from late Monday night to early Thursday afternoon. At the gauge site east of Nickerson, Cow Creek is forecast to go above the 9.5 feet flood stage early Tuesday morning and crest at 10 feet Wednesday morning. At this level the low water crossing on Wilson Road between 69th and 82nd Avenues floods.
Area rainfall reports from the National Weather Service in Wichita are limited this morning, The heaviest rainfall fell in a band extending from north of Dodge City east across Pawnee, Barton, Rice, McPherson and Marion counties into east central Kansas. Hutchinson Regional Airport received 1.16 inches, with .52 of an inch at Salina, 1.42 inches at Great Bend and 1.71 inches at Newton. Cooperative observer reports received this morning by NWS Wichita included 2.32 inches at Ellinwood, 2.23 inches at Goessel. 1.6 inches at Hesston, .70 of an inch near Pretty Prairie. The Dodge City NWS rainfall reports include 1.84 inches at Larned, 4.25 inches northwest of Jetmore, 3.55 inches in far eastern Rush County to the southwest of Albert, 2.5 inches in Hanston, 3.67 inches in Jetmore, 2.63 inches east of Larned, 1.64 inches southeast of Macksville, 2.97 inches just north of Rozel, and 1.02 inches in Pratt.
Reports we have from the McPherson area indicate widespread 2-4 inch rainfall totals over about the northern 3/4ths of McPherson County with lesser amounts along the south county line and upwards of 5-6 inches to the north of Galva.
