« Return to Home

Severe Weather

	Tonganoxie Tornado (2000) Current severe weather watches and warnings National Weather Service's Severe Weather Safety Tips FEMA's Preparedness page Weather.com's Safety Index   23rd Street flooding   Woodlawn tornado drills.   Severe Weather Awareness Look for weather safety tips on lawrence.com's 6News Lawrence Weather page.

Storms soak Lawrence
Friday, May 13, 2005
A series of thunderstorms ripped through the Lawrence area Thursday evening, damaging trees and power lines and leaving patches of the city without electricity.

Douglas County under flash flood warning
Thursday, May 12, 2005
(Updated Friday at 7:47 a.m.) Douglas County will be under a flash flood warning until 7:00 a.m. Friday.

Douglas County under tornado watch until 7 p.m.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
(Updated Wednesday at 12:14 p.m.) The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for Douglas, Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties until 7 p.m.

Tornados damage five homes in Kansas
Friday, April 22, 2005
Tornadoes damaged or destroyed five homes in rural Neosho County, Kan., Thursday evening, and another storm system prompted officials at Kansas City International Airport to evacuate nearly 2,000 people from its terminals.

City again considers mandatory storm shelters
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Closets should be for clothes, not shelter, Lawrence resident Yan Ling is convinced.

Commission to consider home safety requirement
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
When it comes to storm safety, Jane Graves is afraid Lawrence city commissioners are going to insist on learning the hard way.

Chilling out not healthy for pets
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Joan Silver has no concerns about how her cats and dogs deal with the brutally cold weather. Her pets stay inside year-round.

Area prepares for freezing weather
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Freezing drizzle fell on the Lawrence area for the second night in a row Tuesday, making some roads and streets slick and forcing at least three area school district to cancel classes today.

Lawrence native feels tsunami's destruction
Saturday, January 8, 2005
As he stood near a Buddhist temple in Kao Lak, Thailand, Mike Doveton struggled to remember that he had gone to the Asian island for a vacation. It was just days before the new year. While some people were inventing resolutions or spending time with friends and family during the winter holidays, Doveton, who grew up in Lawrence, was wearing a makeshift biohazard suit and helping a team of Dutch forensic scientists by putting dead tsunami victims into bags.

U.N.'s Annan asks ‘Where are the people?'; toll tops 147,000
Saturday, January 8, 2005
The official death toll from the Asian tsunami climbed dramatically to 147,000 Friday and authorities held out little hope for tens of thousands still missing. Flying over miles of ravaged shoreline, a shaken U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan asked: "You wonder where are the people? What has happened to them?"

Those without power play waiting game
Saturday, January 8, 2005
After three days without power, Ielonimo Timoteo took his 2-year-old daughter, Megan, to a shelter Friday seeking a warm place to stay.

Storm unleashes floodwaters in Ohio River Valley
Saturday, January 8, 2005
Flooding on the Ohio River damaged hundreds of homes and businesses Friday, a soggy calling card left by the winter storm that had brought miserable conditions across much of the central and northeastern United States.

Many in state still without power
Friday, January 7, 2005
The wide swath of Missouri and Kansas battered by an icy storm struggled to return to normal Thursday although tens of thousands were still without power, many schools remained shuttered and drivers edged cautiously on roads that remained slick in frosty temperatures.

Clearer skies give time to clean up
Friday, January 7, 2005
The county's battle with a torrid ice storm looked to be ending Thursday as the sun made a brief appearance and began melting away some ice. But snow-removal efforts at the city's recreation facilities hardly have started, said Fred DeVictor, director of the city's Parks and Recreation Department.

Volunteers help beat snow
Friday, January 7, 2005
Most people consider snow shoveling a tiresome chore, but Wendy Leedy found a spark of pleasure in it this week.

Photo: Hard-core cold
Friday, January 7, 2005

Photo: Clearing the way
Friday, January 7, 2005

Power still out as mercury drops
Thursday, January 6, 2005
Trees took a beating this week when an ice storm moved through Lawrence, and now it's cleanup time. The storm gave local tree service businesses all the customers they could handle.

Campanile's toll eerily absent on KU's campus
Thursday, January 6, 2005
Cold, wet weather has taken its toll on the KU campanile's tolling.

Area schools remain closed for second day
Thursday, January 6, 2005
An ice storm that began Tuesday night continued pelting the city Wednesday, causing power lines to fall steadily throughout the day and forcing cancellation of classes today in Lawrence and area school districts.

Ice coats N.E. Kansas
Wednesday, January 5, 2005
The first major winter storm of the season began its move through the Lawrence area and most of the rest of Kansas on Tuesday, bringing with it freezing rain and causing many area public schools, including in Lawrence, to cancel today's classes.

Weather systems poised to wallop U.S.
Wednesday, January 5, 2005
Moisture-laden storms from the north, west and south are likely to converge on much of America over the next several days in what could be a once-in-a-generation onslaught, meteorologists forecast Tuesday.

2004 a record year for number of tornadoes
Monday, January 3, 2005
A record number of tornadoes touched down in Kansas and nationwide last year.

Snow-packed roads begin to reopen
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Authorities struggled to remove abandoned cars and reopen still-slick highways across the nation's midsection Friday after a record snowfall buried the region and stranded holiday travelers and shoppers.

Storm also strands mail
Saturday, December 25, 2004
If you didn't get a Christmas present this morning, it doesn't necessarily mean you're on Santa's "naughty" list.

Record snowfall hampers travel
Friday, December 24, 2004
A sloppy storm dumped more than a year's worth of snow on parts of the Midwest and made a mess of holiday travel and last-minute Christmas shopping Thursday.

Create your own winter car kit
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Nothing dampens the holidays like your car breaking down on the way to Grandma's house.

Florida, Alabama face long cleanup
Saturday, September 18, 2004
Shellshocked Floridians began to clean up Friday after their third hurricane pummeling in five weeks, while Alabamans looked at the crumbled condos and shattered beach homes along their coast and wondered how many months it would take for life to return to normal.

At least 20 killed as Ivan floods coast
Friday, September 17, 2004
Hurricane Ivan drilled the Gulf Coast on Thursday with 130-mph winds that inflicted far less damage than feared everywhere except Florida's Panhandle, where residents were left with surge-ravaged beachfronts, flooded streets and homes ripped apart by deadly tornadoes.

Charities welcome cash donations for victims
Friday, September 17, 2004
Lawrence residents who wish to contribute to relief efforts in the Southeast are encouraged to do so with monetary donations.

Cayman dream trip turns into nightmare
Thursday, September 16, 2004
It was to be a paradise vacation in the Cayman Islands. But thanks to Hurricane Ivan, a Lawrence woman found herself in a living hell last weekend as the powerful storm whipped Grand Cayman Island.

Ivan churns toward Florida
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Twenty-three-foot waves crashed ashore in Jamaica, a wave of panic buying swept Havana and the Florida Keys depopulated itself Friday -- the residents of three diverse nations simultaneously terrified by a ferocious Hurricane Ivan.

Hurricane Ivan strikes Grenada
Thursday, September 9, 2004
The most powerful hurricane to hit the Caribbean in nearly a decade killed at least 12 people in Grenada, damaged 90 percent of its homes and destroyed a prison that left criminals running loose, officials said Wednesday. American students took precautions against looters.

As Frances approaches, millions evacuate Florida
Friday, September 3, 2004
Hurricane Frances, a 300-mile-wide menace, whipped over the Bahamas on Thursday and whirled toward Florida, prompting the evacuation of as many as 2.5 million people in a state still struggling to recover from the ravages of Hurricane Charley.

Flood-control measures put to test last week
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
As rain was pouring down last week, Joyce Wolf drove around her south Lawrence neighborhood prepared for the worst.

'Rough week' continues for storm-soaked city
Sunday, August 29, 2004
James and Mary Runyon hope Mother Nature is through picking on them.

Storm inundates city, area
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Severe thunderstorms stomped across Lawrence again Friday night, stranding dozens of motorists in flash street flooding and leaving hundreds without power.

Area avoids damage from storms again
Thursday, August 26, 2004
More severe weather roared through the Lawrence area Wednesday evening, pelting the city and surrounding areas with hail, heavy rain, high winds and the threat of tornadoes.

Residents across city cope with damage from flooding
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
The smell of dank, soggy carpet and the hum of electric fans filled James and Mary Runyon's home Tuesday. Outside, bits of mulch and dirt clung to the home's siding about a foot above the ground, marking the water level from the previous night.

Hydrologist doesn't expect more flooding
Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Clinton Lake had risen at least 2 feet by Tuesday morning, and the Lawrence area remained under a flash flood watch, but meteorologists and water experts aren't expecting flooding from the Kansas River or smaller streams anytime soon.

Deluge swamps city
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
A series of storms hit the Douglas County area like a sledge hammer Monday night, spawning tornadoes and pounding the area with hail and torrential rainfall.

Lawrence native weathers hurricane
Monday, August 16, 2004
A Lawrence native and meteorologist considers himself lucky to be alive after surviving the power of Hurricane Charley as it hammered Port Charlotte, Fla.

Bush surveys hurricane damage
Monday, August 16, 2004
Residents left homeless by Hurricane Charley's 145 mph winds dug through their ravaged homes Sunday, sweeping up shattered glass and rescuing what they could as President Bush promised rapid delivery of disaster aid.

Charley's toll: 13, so far
Sunday, August 15, 2004
Rescuers rummaged through a chaotic landscape of pulverized homes and twisted metal Saturday, racing to tally Hurricane Charley's "significant loss of life" and help thousands left homeless by its vicious winds and rain. Thirteen people were confirmed dead.

In Lawrence, Floridian relieved to hear from sons
Sunday, August 15, 2004
It's been a stressful couple of days for Linda Patterson. The Punta Gorda, Fla., resident was visiting her two daughters in Lawrence when Hurricane Charley slammed into the Gulf Coast town where she, her boyfriend and her two sons live.

Heavy rains flood streets, close intersections in city
Sunday, July 25, 2004
Heavy rains caused a lot of headaches in Douglas County on Saturday morning, but no life-threatening accidents were reported.

Rain, winds pelt K.C. area
Saturday, July 17, 2004
A band of severe storms with heavy rain swept into the Kansas City area early Friday from northwest Missouri, causing flash-flooding and some power outages from fallen limbs and trees.

Storms strike across state
Tuesday, July 6, 2004
With the Fourth of July fireworks silenced for another year, nature filled the noise void Monday with a series of thunderstorms that caused damage in northern Kansas.

High water, high drama
Saturday, July 3, 2004
The sudden power of Mother Nature was on display in two instances Friday that required rescues to avert tragedy.

Streets, 911 switchboard flooded after downpour
Saturday, July 3, 2004
Even a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka found Friday afternoon's downpour in the Lawrence area "very impressive and very unusual."

Boy survives mishap in swollen creek
Friday, July 2, 2004
(Updated Friday at 6:04 p.m.) An 11-year-old Lawrence boy is alive and well this afternoon, after slipping into a swollen creek and getting trapped in a drainage culvert during intense flash flooding in western Lawrence.

Striking back at lightning
Monday, June 21, 2004
John Lenehan is hoping he's had his last close encounter with a bolt of lightning. Earlier this month, the 81-year-old Tonganoxie man was walking from his house to check his rain gauge when lightning struck the ground about 20 feet away from him.

City cites high cost of building safe rooms
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Lawrence city commissioners said Tuesday they didn't want to make single-family housing more expensive by requiring storm shelters in new construction.

Torrential rain causes flooding in state
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
A storm system that brought high winds and heavy rain to parts of northern Kansas overnight caused flash flooding that forced the closing of some roads.

Sweeping storms kill two; thousands left in the dark
Monday, June 14, 2004
Crews worked Sunday to restore power to tens of thousands of people left in the dark when thunderstorms swept across western Missouri and eastern Kansas, generating wind gusts of up to 75 mph, spawning several tornadoes and contributing to at least one fatal traffic accident and a drowning.

Tornadoes strike across state; home destroyed near Mulvane
Sunday, June 13, 2004
Tornadoes Saturday hit southern Kansas, destroying one home and damaging another, overturning cars and and downing power lines.

Lawrence in tornado watch
Saturday, June 12, 2004
(Updated Saturday at 6:49 p.m.) Get set for some heavy weather tonight.

Weather Service expanding advisories
Wednesday, June 9, 2004
After four years of persistent drought in parts of northwest Kansas, the National Weather Service's office here is calling more attention to high winds that increase the risk of blowing dirt.

Legislator killed in storm-related accident on I-70
Monday, May 31, 2004
Kansas Sen. Stan Clark was killed Saturday when his car was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer on Interstate 70 amid high winds that blew dust, making it difficult for drivers to see, the Kansas Highway Patrol said.

Tornadoes torment north, south Kansas
Monday, May 31, 2004
Two swarms of tornadoes nearly 200 miles apart left residents of north-central and south-central Kansas salvaging property and assessing damage on Sunday.

Resident on mission for home storm shelters
Sunday, May 30, 2004
When a severe storm struck Lawrence last Monday -- carrying with it the possibility of a tornado -- Jane Graves didn't take her family to the basement. She doesn't have one in her west Lawrence home.

Storms batter Kansas
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Homes were damaged and power lines and trees uprooted by several tornadoes that touched down Saturday across Kansas.

Storms stir up towns on Missouri border
Friday, May 28, 2004
Two violent storms overnight Wednesday moved through east-central Kansas and west-central Missouri, causing property damage and a few minor injuries.

N.W. Missouri, Kansas shaken by tornadoes
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Tornadoes that hit northern and eastern Kansas and northwest Missouri and blew some houses off their foundations, tore up several businesses and damaged a hospital.

Storms strike fear but damage minor
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Lawrence residents held their breath Monday night as a storm eerily reminiscent of one that spawned a tornado a year ago bore down on the city.

Tornadoes, storms batter Midwest
Monday, May 24, 2004
Their ears popped because of the abrupt change in air pressure. Then they heard the cracking of trees being torn out of the earth.

Tornado warning for Douglas County expires
Monday, May 24, 2004
(Updated Monday at 10:26 p.m.) A tornado warning for Lawrence and northern Douglas County expired at 8:30 p.m. as National Weather Service radar indicated a severe thunderstorm containing a possible tornado had exited the area, leaving behind downed power lines and minor damage.

8 tornadoes hit one Kansas county
Saturday, May 15, 2004
The violent storm that ripped through a section of south-central Kansas this week touched off at least eight tornadoes in one county alone, but while homes and a school were damaged or destroyed, there was only one minor injury.

Hot spell sticking around
Friday, May 7, 2004
OK, so it's not supposed to get this hot until late June.

Warning radios in every home goal of Douglas County effort
Friday, April 30, 2004
First came the piercing tone, then an authoritative voice followed by a scramble to take cover.

Thunderstorms expected to end by early evening
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
(Updated Tuesday at 4:56 p.m.) Lawrence could get a few more pop-up showers before evening. But the heaviest thunderstorms will stay south and east of the city, Matt Sayers, 6News meteorologis said late Tuesday afternoon.

County applies for disaster training from feds
Monday, April 12, 2004
Tackling a disaster -- be it a tornado, terrorist attack or biological event -- takes teamwork, and Douglas County officials want to field a squad of as many as 80 players for an educational road trip next year in Maryland.

Tornado hits S.W. Kansas
Sunday, March 28, 2004
A tornado Saturday in southwestern Kansas caused damage along a 10-mile stretch.

Construction industry can build stronger homes at lower prices
Sunday, March 21, 2004
There's no way to make an inexpensive, tornado-proof home, builders say, but for about $1,000, a new house can be made to better withstand strong storms and high winds.

Volunteer spotters are eyes, ears of storm forecasting
Thursday, March 18, 2004
At age 14, Floyd Craig watched a tornado rip through his parents' farm west of Lawrence. And since that day in April 1964, the Lawrence man knew he wanted to be a storm spotter.

In Tornado Alley, weather radios not a hit
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Despite years of pleas by the National Weather Service and only 10 months since the biggest tornado outbreak in history, weather radios still haven't caught on in Tornado Alley.

Lawrence's city hall to take part in statewide tornado drill
Monday, March 15, 2004
(Web Posted Monday at 2:42 p.m.) City employees and visitors who are in Lawrence's city hall will get a refresher course on what to do if there's a twister spotted nearby -- they'll take part in the annual statewide tornado drill.

Twisted ambition
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Their violence causes damage, injury and death. Still, tornadoes are a growing tourist attraction in Kansas and the Midwest. "It is an act of nature that people can't control, yet they can see some beauty and awe in a tornado," said Overland Park storm chaser Jim Farnham. "I'm just fascinated by them."

Sunflower Broadband extends weather coverage
Friday, March 12, 2004
A change in the weather -- Channel 6 weather -- is precipitating a commensurate change in the morning program schedule on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

Drought gets drenched
Friday, March 5, 2004
Thanks to Thursday's steady rainfall, a drought that has baked northeast Kansas the past couple of years is drawing to a close, according to area weather watchers. "Slowly but surely, I think, our water tables are starting to come back," said Bruce Chladny, horticulture agent at K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County. "We've had a little bit more rain over the last few months."

Rain pelts areas of Kansas, Missouri
Friday, March 5, 2004
Heavy rain fell Thursday across Kansas and Missouri, causing flooding and road closings throughout large parts of the two states.

Heavy rain heads into Lawrence
Wednesday, March 3, 2004
(Updated Wednesday at 12:23 p.m.) Got outdoor plans in the next two days? "Keep the umbrella close by," said Matt Sayers, 6News meteorologist. The Lawrence area could get up to 2 inches of rain by midday Friday, Sayers said.

Weather service changes flood response
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
In response to a flash flood that killed six people last Labor Day weekend on the Kansas Turnpike, the National Weather Service in Wichita has sought to increase dispatchers' and weather spotters' awareness of high water.

Canceling school no easy call
Saturday, February 7, 2004
Eight years ago, in the middle of the night, John Yagielski watched his car burn outside his home and decided then and there to end his 30-year career in education.

Jolly white giant
Saturday, February 7, 2004
A group of friends spent six hours Thursday constructing "Rex", a 13-foot-tall snowman at the corner of 30th Street and Harrison Street. From left are Lawrence High School seniors Johnny Rathbun, Josh Lawrence, Arthur Philpot, Jamie Huston, Andy Stiles, Taylor Parker and his sister Haley, 11. The builders used two large throw rugs for a scarf, charcoal for teeth, croquet balls for buttons and oven mitts for hands. A large sombrero kept blowing off its head.

Snow storms back
Friday, February 6, 2004
For the second time in less than a week, a winter storm hit Lawrence and northeast Kansas. This time, Thursday's storm brought plenty of snow and all the fun and problems that go with it. While vehicles were sliding into ditches and each other, hundreds of people carrying a variety of sleds flocked to the snow-covered hills near Kansas University's Memorial Stadium.

Students stranded after KU on Wheels halts routes
Friday, February 6, 2004
Jennifer King was cold, wet and steaming mad. On Thursday afternoon, the Kansas University junior was left standing in the snow outside Snow Hall. Soon after the KU on Wheels bus system shut down because of the wintry weather, King wondered how she would get to her car, which was parked near the Lied Center on west campus.

Storming in
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
(Updated Wednesday at 4:18 p.m.) Swooping in from the south, a winter storm will bring as much as five inches of snow overnight to the Lawrence area. The snow won't pose too big of a hazard for several bald eagles soaring around the Kansas River just north of city hall, and temperatures will not freeze the rest of the river, a good place for the birds to find food.

Weak storm foils forecasters
Tuesday, February 3, 2004
Andy Worley won't fall for it again. Weather forecasters are calling for another round of snow Wednesday in the Lawrence area, but they're being a bit more cautious about predicting how much this one will bring. "Preliminary snowfall amounts would indicate around 3 inches," 6News forecaster Ross Janssen said Monday, adding he could be more precise later.

Winter weather tightens icy grip
Monday, February 2, 2004
Where's the snow? Sunday afternoon found Fred and Julie Ohse sitting in the gazebo at Buford M. Watson Jr. Memorial Park asking that very question. They were disappointed a forecast storm had yet to materialize.

Several area schools announce class cancellations
Monday, February 2, 2004
(Updated Monday at 6:25 a.m.) A weekend winter storm that brought about two to three inches of snow to the Lawrence area by early Monday morning has led several school districts in the area to cancel classes for Monday. Snow was expected to continue through noon.

Heavy snow still headed toward Lawrence
Sunday, February 1, 2004
(Updated Monday at 12:54 a.m.) Don't let Sunday afternoon's mild temperatures and light snowfall fool you -- the big winter storm is still on its way. "We're going to have heavy snow," said Ross Janssen, 6News meteorologist. "Right now, we're thinking about four to eight inches of total snowfall, through the lunch hour on Monday." Tonganoxie school district has canceled classes for Monday. Other cancellations will be posted as they are announced.

Lawrence, area hunker down awaiting storm
Sunday, February 1, 2004
Lawrence managed to avoid winter weather Saturday that hammered much of the rest of the state, causing numerous accidents including one that left five people dead. The city won't be so lucky today, when a major winter storm hunkers down on the region, causing a mix of snow and freezing rain. It's expected to be one of the largest storms to hit northeast Kansas in several years.

Heavy snowfall to start overnight
Saturday, January 31, 2004
(Updated Saturday at 11:28 p.m.) Six to 10 inches. That's how much snow the Lawrence area is expected to get by Monday morning, Matt Jacobs, 6News meteorologist, said late Saturday afternoon. See cancellations.

Storm likely to drop foot of snow
Saturday, January 31, 2004
Shoppers rushed to stock their pantries. Snow shovels disappeared from hardware store shelves. City officials announced that street crews were ready to work around the clock. People prepared Friday for what forecasters predict will be a car-covering, street-clogging, weekendlong snowstorm across the region.

Heavy snowstorm expected over weekend
Friday, January 30, 2004
(Updated Friday at 4:24 p.m.) Get your snow shovel ready. A major winter storm is heading toward Lawrence for the weekend -- with the possibility of bringing more than a foot of snow.

Snow to be light, but temperatures continue to drop
Thursday, January 29, 2004
(Updated Thursday at 12:12 p.m.) The deep freeze Lawrence has been in for a few days is getting even frostier. Today's dusting of snow will be topped off overnight with even colder temperatures. And there's even a chance for freezing rain Saturday, says Matt Jacobs, 6News meteorologist.

Snow-shoveling law melting into oblivion
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
Eileene Miller found walking the sidewalks of Lawrence to be quite an adventure Tuesday afternoon -- treacherous where snow and ice remained after recent storms, welcoming where they had been cleared. Mostly, she said, it was treacherous, despite a city ordinance requiring property owners to clear walks within 24 hours of a winter storm.

Kansas temperature forecast similar to Alaska
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
(Web Posted Wednesday at 3:06 p.m.) If you've ever wondered what life might be like in Nome, Alaska, just walk outside. The high Wednesday in Lawrence had reached about 10 degrees by 2:45 p.m. -- it was 9 degrees at the same time in Nome.

City mostly unfazed by wintry mix
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Mother Nature continued to throw a mixed bag of weather at Lawrence and northeastern Kansas on Monday as light snow fell throughout the day and temperatures plummeted to single digits overnight. Less than an inch of snow had fallen on Lawrence by Monday night, but streets and area roads still required treatment and icy patches caused problems for some motorists.

Lawrence, area classes canceled
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Arctic-like conditions in the area have led school officials to cancel classes Tuesday for Lawrence. Julie Boyle, information director for the school district, said the decision was made at 6 a.m. to close all public schools because of temperature and wind chill. The following area schools have also canceled classes.

6News video: Homeowners face fines for snowy sidewalks
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
A city ordinance passed in 2001 requires homeowners or renters to clear their sidewalks after a snowfall or face a fine.

6News video: Schools closed, roads slick as winter weather hits Lawrence
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Those venturing outside will want to bundle up as wind chill remains a concern.

State emerges from sweeping storms
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
There were fewer problems on Kansas roads Monday, a day after a winter storm led to several accidents and resulted in at least one death.

Winter weather packs 1-2 punch
Monday, January 26, 2004
John Akin chipped away at his ice-covered car Sunday, and inch by inch the evidence of the freezing rain that fell overnight began to drop away. "It's kind of a pain," the Kansas University junior from Prairie Village said, as he labored outside his apartment building near Ninth and Illinois streets.

6News video: Siren upkeep a county priority
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Douglas County commissioners are getting ready to consider a maintenance contract for the county's tornado-warning sirens.

Upkeep on sirens for tornado warnings to cost $11K per year
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
Douglas County spent $435,000 to install a safety system that includes 33 new tornado-warning sirens and accompanying computer monitors to track their conditions around the clock. The least the county can do now is spend $11,000 a year to ensure that the sirens sound when necessary, a county official said.

Northeast freeze a trial for utilities
Saturday, January 17, 2004
Record cold pushed power usage toward all-time highs around the Northeast on Friday, and utilities asked customers to conserve power as a precaution against blackouts.

Space heater warning issued
Saturday, January 17, 2004
With bitter cold gripping much of the East, the government issued a warning about the fire hazards posed by space heaters.

Praeger seeks law protecting insured homeowners
Wednesday, January 7, 2004
Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger said Tuesday that she would push for a law to prohibit insurers from dropping a homeowner's policy due to a single catastrophic claim. "Kansans who buy insurance should not have to worry about having their coverage dropped if they are unlucky enough to be hit by a tornado or hail," Praeger said.

Snowstorm causes crash, avalanche in Colorado
Sunday, January 4, 2004
A winter storm that brought up to 3 feet of snow to parts of Colorado's high country Saturday was blamed for a fatal plane crash and an avalanche that temporarily shut down Vail Pass.

Snow removal system flawed, city officials say
Thursday, December 18, 2003
A week after the city's first winter storm, city officials conceded Tuesday that their snow and ice removal system was flawed. Mother Nature, they said, kept them from doing a better job. "It rained heavily all day, and then it dropped six degrees in 20 minutes," said street division manager Tom Orzulak. "It sleeted for nearly two hours and then just got beaten into sheet ice."

6News video: Snow and ice removal had flaws
Thursday, December 18, 2003
City officials admit that the weather made it difficult for crews to sand and salt the streets and remove ice.

Rescue averts wintry tragedy
Thursday, December 11, 2003
A giant basket of chocolates arrived Wednesday at the Lawrence Police Department. It was a gift for officers and dispatchers who helped rescue a woman from a diabetic attack during Tuesday night's winter storm. Kansas University senior Stephanie Bowlin, 22, was driving to her boyfriend's house in east Lawrence about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday when she took a wrong turn. A diabetic, Bowlin had just taken the insulin her body needs, but it had reacted too quickly -- causing her blood-sugar level to drop dramatically.

6News video: Open schools cause controversy
Thursday, December 11, 2003
After the snow on Tuesday night, parents and students wonder why the Lawrence school district chose to keep schools open on Wednesday. The district waited until the early hours of the morning to see the condition of city roads before making their decision.

Winter arrives early with icy rain, snow
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
The first major winter storm of the year struck the Lawrence area Tuesday, bringing with it daytime heavy rain followed by evening sleet and snow as temperatures plummeted. The sleet turned to snow shortly before 8 p.m., driven by wind gusts that topped 40 mph. Snow measuring about 3 inches was expected to have fallen by 3 a.m. today, 6News forecaster Ross Janssen said. Temperatures this morning were expected to be in the lower 20s.

'Pretty good storm' hits statewide
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Winter sent a calling card Tuesday, hitting Kansas and the Plains states with heavy, wet snow, strong winds and even thunder.

6News video: Wintry mix blows into Lawrence
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
A storm blanketed most of Kansas Tuesday evening, leaving treacherous travel and school closings in its wake.

6News video: Wednesday's forecast
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Precipitation totals and the forecast for Douglas County, as of 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Snow forecast for region during expected storm
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
After a couple of false starts earlier this fall, Lawrence may actually see some measurable snow on the ground by this time Wednesday.

6News video: Winter weather on the way
Tuesday, December 9, 2003
A winter storm advisory has been issued for Douglas County, and most of the state should expect snowfall Tuesday night into Wednesday.

74 today; snow for Sunday
Thursday, November 20, 2003
The flakes most likely will fall. The question is whether they'll stick. With a high temperature Wednesday of 70 degrees and today's forecast calling for a high of 74, it's hard to imagine wintry weather will invade the area anytime soon. But Lawrence will go from T-shirt temperatures to parka weather in a matter of days, forecasters predict.

Winterizing homes can lower heating bills
Thursday, November 20, 2003
The mercury is about to drop, and gas prices are continuing to rise, but there are ways homeowners can reduce heating costs by winterizing their houses.

Thundersnow phenomenon could forecast heavy storm
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
Sometimes in the middle of a Midwestern snowstorm, thunder growls and lightning sends dull flashes among the clouds. A University of Missouri researcher has received a $460,000 National Science Foundation grant for a five-year study to find out why.

Liberal's poor continue to feel June hailstorm's aftereffects
Sunday, November 9, 2003
Much of the damage from a summer hailstorm has been repaired.

Turnpike design ruled out as factor in flooding deaths
Tuesday, October 28, 2003
A review team concluded Monday that the deaths of six people in a Labor Day weekend flash flood south of Emporia were caused by a "truly extraordinary weather event" and not by any design deficiencies of the Kansas Turnpike.

Tornado victim dies of injuries
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
More than five months after a tornado ripped through the city, it claimed another victim.

Evacuations urged for Hurricane Isabel
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
A hurricane warning went up late Tuesday along the North Carolina coast and up to 90,000 people were urged to get out of the way of Hurricane Isabel, the most powerful storm in four years to menace the mid-Atlantic coast.

East Coast braces for hurricane
Tuesday, September 16, 2003
Residents along the East Coast boarded up windows Monday, and the military ordered ships and planes out of harm's way as Hurricane Isabel churned toward land with 120 mph winds.

Town determined to rebuild after devastating tornado
Monday, September 15, 2003
When a massive tornado hit this southeast Kansas community in May, it destroyed about a third of the homes and leveled the community center and post office. Many figured that was it for Franklin.

In Liberal, money boom follows storm
Sunday, September 7, 2003
Storms brought destruction to this southwest Kansas town. Now they're bringing in money -- for some people, at least.

I-35 flood sweeps away family
Monday, September 1, 2003
Four children from Liberty, Mo., died after torrential rains swept their minivan off the Kansas Turnpike and carried it more than a mile. Authorities were still searching Sunday for the children's mother, and a man from Texas.

Forecast is all wet
Sunday, August 31, 2003
After a parched summer, the Lawrence area Saturday continued soaking up much-needed rain. But it might wind up being too much.

Heat wave continues; relief near
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
And the heat goes on. And on. And on.

Lawrence hot spot in U.S. at 109
Friday, August 22, 2003
There were a lot of liquids sloshing around football practice Thursday evening at Lawrence High School. Whether it was sweat dripping off the 76 players, or the water and Gatorade they were guzzling between running drills, the liquids were what kept them cool. Lawrence was the hottest spot in the country Thursday with the mercury hitting a high of 109 degrees, but the players didn't seem to mind.

6News video: Lawrence heat continues
Friday, August 22, 2003
Temperatures in the city topped 100 degrees for the sixth day in the row.

Strong winds knock out power in south-central Kansas
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
Strong winds accompanying storms that moved through parts of south-central Kansas during the night left many people without electrical power in Wichita and surrounding areas Monday

Lawrence gains at least half-inch of rain
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
A storm late Sunday night dumped more than a half-inch of rain on Lawrence.

Tornado cleanup not on whirlwind pace
Monday, August 11, 2003
More than three months after tornadoes slashed through the Kansas City metro area, some residents and cities are still waiting for help from insurance companies or the federal government.

County's camera will keep eye on weather
Friday, July 25, 2003
A remote-controlled eye in the sky soon will help Douglas County officials warn the public of impending disasters. "Weather Cam," a new digital camera to be wired into a secure law-enforcement communications network, will be perched within a month atop the city's Stratford Road water tower, just east of Iowa Street.

6News video: Weather cam to give early warnings
Friday, July 25, 2003
The camera will be on top of the city water tower, which should give officials a clear view of storms threatening the area.

6News video: State to distribute money to build safe rooms
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
6News reports on the money the state will be giving to some residents to help build a safe room in their homes.

Tornado-damaged city asked to consider merger
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
If tornado recovery proves too costly in Franklin, residents always have the option of accepting Arma's invitation to become part of the neighboring southeast Kansas town.

6News video: Aberdeen apartments demolished after tornado
Thursday, May 22, 2003
The buildings were too damaged by the tornado to be repaired, and so the apartment owners are simply going to tear them down and rebuild.

Kurtis recalls '66 tornado for library
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
It's been nearly 37 years since television newsman Bill Kurtis shouted his urgent on-air appeal, "For God's sake, take cover."

Tornado-ravaged city celebrates town's birthday
Sunday, May 18, 2003
Residents were looking to the future as much as the past Saturday night as their tornado-ravaged town celebrated its 133rd birthday.

Tornadoes, hail ravage parts of S.W. Kansas
Saturday, May 17, 2003
A day after at least one tornado hit this southwest Kansas town, officials on Friday said timely warnings prevented any deaths or injuries.

6News video: Mental trauma from tornadoes starting to surface
Thursday, May 15, 2003
Many people are looking for assistance in coping with the aftereffects of the tornadoes.

Bush visits Mo. tornado victims
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
Weary from nearly nonstop work clearing tornado debris and battling depression about the uncertain future, Scott and Lynette Rector received personal assurances of help Tuesday from President Bush.

Tornado Aftermath
Wednesday, May 14, 2003
• Donations sought for relief agencies
• Overpass protection bad, climatologist warns
• KU, LHS alumnus helping relief efforts
• Lions Club foundation offers storm victims aid
• City will study shelter requirements

Tornado cleanup efforts not over
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
The landscape still looks ugly, and people continue to struggle. Cleanup and salvage efforts continued Monday throughout the area in southwest Lawrence where a tornado struck five days earlier, causing an estimated $6.4 million in damage.

Contractors try to meet demands after week of devastating weather
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
A devastating week of tornadoes left hundreds of families in Missouri and Kansas without homes, and contractors are scrambling to help them recover.

Victims pick up, regroup
Sunday, May 11, 2003
Two days after a tornado pillaged their homes, residents in southwest Lawrence spent Saturday packing up what remained of their belongings.

Outbreak was most twisters ever
Sunday, May 11, 2003
The barrage of twisters that ripped across the nation's midsection marked the most active week of tornadoes on record, meteorologists said Saturday as they sized up a wave of storms that left 44 people dead from Kansas to Georgia.

Twister damage tops $6 million
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Hit and miss. That's the best way Ann Riat can describe the destruction from Thursday night's tornado.

Human hazard
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Emergency personnel did a great job Thursday night in spite of their human obstacles. Let's have a big round of applause for all of the weather forecasters, storm spotters and emergency personnel who responded so efficiently to Thursday night's storm.

Rebuilding takes time
Saturday, May 10, 2003
It will take at least six months for all the homes damaged by Thursday evening's tornado to be repaired or replaced, members of the Lawrence construction industry estimated Friday.

Residents recall storm ‘adventure'
Saturday, May 10, 2003
What's worse than being in the path of a tornado? Being in labor in the path of a tornado. Just ask Shannon White, who Thursday night gave birth to Caden Michael. "It was quite an adventure," she said.

Businesses offer help for victims of tornado
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Several Lawrence businesses announced Friday that they'd established special programs to help victims of Thursday's tornado.

Insurance agents expect quick claims
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Lawrence insurance agents said Friday that claims adjusters were responding to the needs of storm victims as quickly as possible and hoped to reach most of them by today.

Spring storms unusually bad, widespread this year
Saturday, May 10, 2003
The numbers can't begin to measure the devastation, but they do tell the story of one of the stormiest stretches of weather in U.S. history.

Disaster response agencies kept busy by rash of storms
Saturday, May 10, 2003
After a week of long days, Joy Moser was supposed to head to bed early Thursday. But the Lawrence tornado ruined her plans.

Churches to take offerings for tornado victims
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Lawrence churches have staged their first attempts to mobilize aid for congregation members and the wider community after the havoc caused by Thursday's tornado.

Students struck by tornado still concerned with finals
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Melanie Michael was supposed to take her final exams at Kansas University next week, but most of her notes and books were in her Mazda Protege that now has half an apartment building on top of it.

Southwest ‘dodges reaper,' superintendent says
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Lawrence Supt. Randy Weseman said Friday that the district was lucky to "dodge the reaper" because Southwest Junior High School's portable classrooms were empty when a tornado thundered past.

Raintree Montessori pulls together -- again
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Dozens of volunteers Friday gathered debris and made repairs at Raintree Montessori School after the school's second brush with tragedy in less than three years.

Workers, neighbors pitch in
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Rita Rials wasn't affiliated with the Red Cross before Thursday night. But after a tornado touched down in her neighborhood south of Clinton Parkway, Rials made an impromptu decision to volunteer at a Red Cross tent.

Onlookers kept away from site
Saturday, May 10, 2003
Joe Wetten, frantically driving from Kansas City to his home on West 26th Street, was anxious to see whether Thursday's tornado had hit his home.

City, Douglas County have no public shelters
Saturday, May 10, 2003
If a tornado's bearing down, you're on your own. Lawrence and Douglas County have no officially designated storm shelters for public use, emergency management officials said Friday.

Some residents critical of sirens
Saturday, May 10, 2003
No one died, few were hurt and officials said the sirens sounded 27 minutes before a tornado touched down in southwest Lawrence, beating even the National Weather Service warning.

OKC residents feel ‘lucky': No one killed
Saturday, May 10, 2003
The morning after a tornado destroyed more than 300 houses and businesses in and around Oklahoma City, firefighters went from one wrecked home to another Friday and spray-painted a big, red X on each roof if no one was trapped.

Twisters roll across state, but injuries at a minimum
Friday, May 9, 2003
At least seven tornadoes Thursday night swept across Kansas, damaging homes and buildings and uprooting trees in several counties, but there were no immediate reports of any deaths, and just a few injuries.
Two people were admitted to Allen County Hospital in Iola after being hit by debris from a tornado that passed through neighboring Woodson County. June Reynolds, the acting hospital administrator, said neither was seriously injured.

Damage, but none dead
Friday, May 9, 2003
Its path through southwest Lawrence was short but ferocious, leaving roofless homes, overturned cars and shaken residents. No major injuries were reported in the first few hours after a tornado hit Thursday evening, but the storm cleared a swath of property on the edge of town, causing major damage to 40 homes and six apartment buildings.

Governor tours Lawrence tornado damage
Friday, May 9, 2003
(Updated Friday at 5:12 p.m.) Southwest Lawrence was cleaning up Friday morning from a tornado that ripped roofs off homes, overturned cars and blasted out windows Thursday evening. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius visited the site Friday afternoon, promising to work to get help for the victims.

Apartment complex at center of storm
Friday, May 9, 2003
For most residents of the southwest Lawrence neighborhood slammed by a tornado Thursday evening, it was their first experience with a twister.

Eyewitnesses describe wrath of tornado
Friday, May 9, 2003
The tornado that hit southwest Lawrence left devastation, debris and some moments that many residents will never forget.

'81 twister hit city's S.W. side
Friday, May 9, 2003
The last tornado to slam Lawrence also hit the city's southwest side, leaving one man dead and 33 people injured.

Residents bewildered after narrow escape
Friday, May 9, 2003
Jim and Susan DeVore took shelter the only place they could Thursday night -- and a mattress might have saved their lives.

Officials ask onlookers to stay away
Friday, May 9, 2003
Minutes after a tornado lifted out of southwest Lawrence Thursday night, Wakarusa Drive and Clinton Parkway were clogged with sightseers in cars and on foot.

Sunflower, Southwest Junior High closed
Friday, May 9, 2003
Two Lawrence public schools will be closed today while officials assess possible damage from a tornado and strong winds that whipped through the area Thursday night.

Help available for those left homeless by storm
Friday, May 9, 2003
Free State High School was commandeered to serve as an emergency shelter Thursday night after a tornado struck southwest Lawrence, wrecking dozens of homes and apartments.

6News video: Twisters damage several homes
Friday, May 9, 2003
The tornados flipped cars in a housing development just off Clinton Parkway.

6News video: Home video shows funnel coming from wall cloud
Friday, May 9, 2003
Amit Kashyap provided the home video of the funnel touching the ground.

6News video: While many homes were damaged, no serious injuries
Friday, May 9, 2003
The storms scattered debris across neighborhoods.

6News video: The tornado was estimated at a mile wide at one point
Friday, May 9, 2003
Fortunately, the tornado lost most of its strength by the time it reached Lawrence, minimizing the damage it could have caused.

Wedding dress survives tornado
Friday, May 9, 2003
Jennifer Wells' new home didn't make it through a tornado that devastated this Kansas City suburb just three days before her wedding. But her dress did.

Tornado touches down in southwest Lawrence
Thursday, May 8, 2003
(Updated Friday at 1:03 p.m.)  A tornado touched down early Thursday evening in southwest Lawrence, churning a line of property damage from roughly 27th and Scottsdale to an area just northeast of Clinton Parkway and Wakarusa Drive.

Tornadoes return to Midwest, South
Thursday, May 8, 2003
Tornadoes swept across the Midwest and South overnight and early Wednesday, killing two people in Illinois and battering a region still trying to recover from deadly twisters that struck over the weekend.

Moore proposes bill to combat tornado losses
Thursday, May 8, 2003
People can't stop tornadoes, but they can reduce the damage and even death they cause, lawmakers said Wednesday.

Storms to roll in overnight
Wednesday, May 7, 2003
(Web Posted Wednesday at 11:53 a.m.) Enjoy today's sunny skies because another round of storms is on the way late tonight. And Thursday afternoon's forecast is looking a lot like Sunday's, which spawned killer tornadoes in Kansas and Missouri, says a local weather forecaster.

Crawford County starts tornado recovery effort
Wednesday, May 7, 2003
Mary Sayre spent Tuesday helping relatives salvage what they could from the rubble that once was home. She did it for a simple reason.

Guardsmen return to help in hometown
Wednesday, May 7, 2003
National Guardsmen bound for Iraq returned instead Tuesday to their tornado-flattened hometown of Pierce City to help clean up splintered homes and businesses and check on their loved ones after twisters killed at least 40 people in three states.

Heavy rains hit Lawrence, area in tornado watch
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
(Updated Tuesday at 1:11 p.m.) A line of thunderstorms passed through the area over the noon hour, bringing heavy rains to Lawrence and reports of hail in southern Douglas County and northern Franklin County. The Lawrence area remains in a tornado watch until 7 p.m.

Leavenworth County eligible for federal disaster aid
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
(Updated Wednesday at 3:57 a.m.) Leavenworth County is one of seven Kansas counties that have been designated as federal disaster areas, according to the White House.

Devastation runs deep
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
Kathleen McKinley, Quentin Holmes and Kimberly Newton barely escaped. All three live in the path of a tornado that danced, jumped and spun through the county Sunday afternoon, and all three said they had only a few moments' notice before it hit.

Hard-hit areas begin to clean up
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
Searchers using dogs and heavy equipment went from one crumbled home to another Monday after tornado-packed storms flattened communities in three states and killed at least 38 people.

Red Cross says best way to help is with cash donations
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
The best way to help the victims of tornadoes that swept through Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties is with cash, according to a Douglas County American Red Cross official.

Scientists to study storms that spin off tornadoes
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
Government and university scientists announced Monday a major study of why big, violent storms occur and how they can be predicted.

Attractions maintain safety plans for tourists
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
As a tornado passed about a quarter-mile away, hundreds of customers at the massive Cabela's outdoor store in the city's western suburbs huddled in a safe area.

Kansas and Missouri victims of Sunday's tornadoes
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
A list of the 25 known victims in Sunday's tornadoes that swept across Missouri and Kansas. The Missouri deaths were compiled by the State Emergency Management Agency.

6News video: Residents begin to pick up the pieces
Tuesday, May 6, 2003
6News reports on the reaction of some area residents that were affected by Sundays tornados.

Tornadoes cut wide swath of destruction
Monday, May 5, 2003
A series of tornadoes pummeled Kansas and Missouri on Sunday, killing as many as 21 people as the twisters left a swath of destruction a quarter-mile wide in some places.

6News video: Wednesday night's thunderstorm brings hail, lightning, heavy downpour
Thursday, March 13, 2003
The Wednesday evening thunderstorms that rumbled through the Lawrence area brought hail that carpeted Interstate 70, lightning that knocked out power briefly to some areas and heavy downpours that gave some motorists problems on city streets.

3 die in weather-related wrecks
Thursday, March 6, 2003
Kansas stayed frigid Wednesday, but a storm system that caused at least three fatal accidents had moved out of the state.

Wintry glaze hits region; area schools closed today
Wednesday, March 5, 2003
Freezing rain, sleet, snow -- a little bit of everything fell on Lawrence and the surrounding area Tuesday afternoon, making driving an adventure and canceling today's classes in Lawrence and area public schools. Kansas University and Haskell Indian Nations University classes were still on schedule as of 6 a.m.

Winter storm works its way through state
Tuesday, February 25, 2003
Douglas County escaped the brunt of a winter storm that socked parts of Kansas with more than a foot of snow Sunday, but another storm is on the way.

Drought report says northwest Kansas hardest hit
Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Severe drought continues to grip northwest Kansas, making it the hardest-hit area in the state, a newly released drought report shows.

Snow makes good on promise
Thursday, January 16, 2003
When winter finally decided to strike Wednesday afternoon, Lawrence was ready. Employees at Cottin's Hardware had spent most of the season hauling sleds, shovels and ice melt back and forth from the front door to the store room. But they finally saw products leave the building Wednesday at 1832 Mass.

6News video: Weather forecast is chilly and white
Thursday, January 16, 2003
Meterologist Ross Janssen says that the cold weather is here to stay.

6News video: Lawrence reacts to first winter storm
Thursday, January 16, 2003
Several residents found the snow beautiful, but commuters are worried about safety.

Snow slicks streets
Friday, December 27, 2002
Tires started sliding around 6 p.m. Thursday; the sound of crashing cars began shortly afterward.

Winter weather blasts Midwest
Thursday, December 5, 2002
Wintry weather closed schools across much of southern Kansas on Wednesday and challenged motorists who were getting reacquainted with ice and snow.

Cold weather tips given
Wednesday, November 27, 2002
City officials recommend the following to prevent water lines from freezing and breaking in cold weather:

Crews brace for wintry weather
Wednesday, October 30, 2002
If the city's snow-removal crews were athletic teams, Tuesday would have been their final preseason game.

Monday's temperature breaks 50-year record
Tuesday, October 1, 2002
Despite a season that's supposed to mean sweaters and hot cider, Monday's temperature reached 93 degrees — breaking the previous record of 92 degrees set in 1952.

Drought taking heavy toll on western Kansas wildlife
Monday, August 12, 2002
Jackrabbit populations, that infamous scourge of the Dust Bowl era, are booming this year in arid western Kansas. So are the grasshoppers. Other plains wildlife aren't faring so well in the heat.

Summer sizzle to continue
Saturday, July 27, 2002
By Mike Belt

Temperatures soared across Kansas again on Friday as searing heat settled in for a weekend stay. So, how hot did it get in Lawrence?

Take extra precautions in extreme hot weather
Saturday, July 27, 2002
The best way to stay out of trouble in the kind of heat forecast for today is to stay indoors and avoid extreme temperature changes. If you don't have air conditioning, stay low and out of the sun.

Storm strikes south Douglas County
Saturday, July 20, 2002
By Mindie Paget

A Friday afternoon thunderstorm pelted parts of southern Douglas County with baseball-sized hail and spawned winds strong enough to topple a utility pole that blocked traffic on U.S. Highway 59 for more than an hour.

Residents seek relief as heat index hits 110
Wednesday, July 10, 2002
By Joel Mathis

Lawrence weathered its hottest day of the year quite well. Even as temperatures reached the century mark Tuesday — at 5 p.m., the city hit the 100-degree mark for the first time in 2002 — officials reported only a couple of minor cases of heat-related illness.

Storm leads to wreck, outages
Thursday, June 27, 2002
By Mindie Paget

A brief but intense thunderstorm blew through Douglas County on Wednesday evening, leaving vehicle accidents, downed tree limbs and electrical power outages in its path.
Less than half an inch of rain fell in Lawrence, but it fell fast and was accompanied by winds up to 60 mph.

Kansas dries out from storms
Thursday, June 13, 2002
Severe storms unleashed heavy rains and damaging winds Tuesday night across sections of central Kansas, and the rain continued after dawn Wednesday in some areas.
Minor flooding was reported in a number of areas, including Wichita, where some streets were covered with water early Wednesday morning, and Harvey County, where the bridge in Centennial Park at Newton was under water. Several roads in the Hesston area were also flooded.

Wind, lightning, rain pound Lawrence, area
Wednesday, June 12, 2002
By Mindie Paget

A severe thunderstorm struck Lawrence on Tuesday night, bringing winds as high as 66 mph. As of 10:30 p.m., the National Weather Service in Topeka reported that .22 inches of rain had fallen at Lawrence Municipal Airport. "But you probably got much more than that in some parts of Lawrence," said Curt Holderbach, weather service meteorologist.

Storms ground KJHK, Life Star
Wednesday, June 5, 2002
By Mike Belt

Downpours that hammered Lawrence at midday Tuesday were accompanied by lightning that knocked a radio station off the air and grounded an emergency helicopter. The storms moved out of the Lawrence area by late afternoon. Skies should clear by this afternoon and temperatures will be in the upper 70s, forecasters said.

Storms bring hail and cyclones to central counties
Monday, May 13, 2002
Tornadoes and hail moved mainly across open fields in parts of central Kansas Saturday night, but the only reports of damage were downed telephone lines in Edwards County. There were no injuries reported.

Recent storms don't ease dryness
Sunday, May 12, 2002
By Matt Merkel-Hess and Mindie Paget

Recent storms have brought no relief to drought conditions in western Kansas. Isolated rain fell Saturday but was not substantial, said Steve Kays, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka.

Storm preparation is life-saver
Friday, May 10, 2002
Artie Patrick knows what saved his family's life when a tornado ripped his home open Tuesday night.

Weather funnels through area
Thursday, May 9, 2002
By Terry Rombeck and Mindie Paget

Feisty spring weather continued to be a fright-monger for some and a source of fascination for others as tornadoes hit at least three areas of northeast Kansas.
Joy Moser, public information officer for the Adjutant General's Office, said Jefferson and Leavenworth counties were the hardest hit. A tornado was reported on the ground about 6:55 p.m. near Perry Lake, where it overturned boats in the marina and tore the roof off an outbuilding near Winchester, Moser said.
• Report any storm damage to us at 785-832-NEWS.

6News video reports: High winds cause damage
Thursday, May 9, 2002
Strong winds and rotating clouds convinced the National Weather Service to issue a tornado warning for the area.

Lawrence area in tornado watch
Monday, May 6, 2002
(Web Posted Monday at 6:06 p.m.) Lawrence is part of an area in central and eastern Kansas that has been placed under a tornado watch until 11 p.m. today by the National Weather Service.
Hail up to 3 inches in diameter, thunderstorms with wind gusts up to 70 mph and dangerous lightning are possible in the area.

Emergency drought watch issued for rivers
Saturday, May 4, 2002
Drought conditions so severe that the state climatologist compares them to the Dust Bowl prompted Gov. Bill Graves on Friday to issue a drought watch for five western Kansas river basins.

Six die in storms from Missouri to Maryland
Monday, April 29, 2002
(Updated Monday at 11:28 a.m.) Tornado-ravaged cities from Missouri to Maryland picked up the pieces Monday after an unusually wide and potent swath of thunderstorms weaved their way through the eastern half of the nation, killing at least six people.

Douglas County gets 2.53 inches of rain
Monday, April 22, 2002
Douglas County bore the brunt of Saturday night's rain. The National Weather Service recorded 2.53 inches at the Lawrence Municipal Airport, and weather spotters reported 2.59 inches around Clinton Lake and 2.5 inches in Eudora, meteorologist Phillip Bills said.

Fast-moving storm thrashes Lawrence
Saturday, April 20, 2002
By Mike Belt

A fast-moving storm packing nearly 70 mph winds, heavy rain and hail punched early Friday through the Lawrence area, downing power lines, trees and shoving airplanes around.

6News Video: Thunderstorms roll in to the area
Friday, April 19, 2002
After a tornado watch earlier in the evening, thunderstorms were expected in the early morning hours.

6News video report: Spring brings thunderstorms
Friday, April 12, 2002
The first large storm of the spring passed through the area overnight.

City to seek federal aid for ice-storm expenses
Wednesday, April 3, 2002
The city is asking the federal government for $132,000 reimbursement for costs associated with the January ice storm. Douglas County was part of the northeast Kansas federal disaster area declared after the Jan. 30 storm, which knocked down tree limbs and power lines and left thousands of Lawrence residents without power — some for several days.

Storm toppled historic K.C. trees
Tuesday, March 26, 2002
The branches of the Westport Oak shaded Indians and fur trappers on the nearby Santa Fe Trail, and they supported lynchings in the years before the Civil War. After all that, the tree may have been done in by the ice storm of 2002.

Storm sirens don't pass preseason testing
Wednesday, March 13, 2002
By Joel Mathis

This is why they test: Many of Douglas County's new tornado sirens didn't work properly during a storm drill Tuesday. "Some worked, some didn't," said Paula Phillips, director of Douglas County Emergency Management.

6News video report: Lawrence residents remember 1981 tornado
Thursday, March 7, 2002
In this 6News report from June 19, 2000, Cody Howard talks to Lawrence residents who have strong memories of the 1981 tornado cut a swath through southern Lawrence.

6News report: Weather spotter remembers devastating 1981 tornado
Thursday, March 7, 2002
In this June 19, 2000, 6News report, Cody Howard interviews Phil Rankin, a weather spotter who was injured by the tornado that struck southern Lawrence in 1981.

Winter storms return
Saturday, March 2, 2002
By Mike Belt and Mindie Paget

Forget the amount of snow on the ground this morning. The problem will be blowing snow. "Predicting an inch count for Lawrence is kind of insignificant," Steve Kays, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka, said Friday afternoon as area residents watched the skies for the latest winter storm.

Unusual February weather produces thunderstorm, hail
Wednesday, February 20, 2002
By Mindie Paget

Talk about weird weather. A few weeks ago, folks in Lawrence and northeast Kansas were shivering through the region's worst ice storm in years. But Tuesday, temperatures climbed into the lower 60s, hail pelted motorists and the city was placed under its first February severe thunderstorm warning in a decade.

Federal disaster relief available
Friday, February 8, 2002
By Chad Lawhorn

Douglas County residents can apply for federal help with uninsured expenses from last week's ice storm.
Douglas County governments also are optimistic they'll qualify for federal aid in the coming days to help pay for overtime and other storm-related costs estimated near $250,000.

Perry marina brought down by fierce winter storm
Thursday, February 7, 2002
By Mindie Paget

The owner of Lake Perry Yacht & Marina is just beginning to dig out from the mess created when ice from last week's winter storm brought down the second-largest dock at the marina. "It's a long, methodical process," said Bob Best, marina owner.

6News video report: Cleanup begins on storm damage
Saturday, February 2, 2002
Clear skies on Friday allowed homeowners to start cleanup of downed tree limbs.

6News video report: Power problems scattered throughout county and city
Friday, February 1, 2002
Josh Garber reports on the local residents who are still without power.

Winter storm continues
Thursday, January 31, 2002
Lindsay Eplee and her friends were on a mission to find the best type of makeshift sled.
They slid down Kansas University's Daisy Hill on cardboard boxes, laundry baskets, a recycling-bin lid and smuggled cafeteria trays.

Remember cold, hard facts when attempting to remove ice
Thursday, January 31, 2002
It's going to take a lot of salt, sand and sweat to remove the ice and snow coating Lawrence-area driveways and sidewalks.
But while it would have been better to have put down the ice-handling material Tuesday night when the ice started to fall, Imran Wahla, owner of Active Snow Removal, said it's not too late.

Much of state feels brunt of winter storm
Thursday, January 31, 2002
A robust winter storm Wednesday poured ice and freezing rain over parts of Kansas, with snowfall accumulations forecast to reach up to 12 inches in some areas. Gov. Bill Graves ordered state offices closed, and the state's major universities canceled classes.

Cold spell to ease up in days ahead
Thursday, January 3, 2002
By Mike Belt

That arctic blast of cold air that moved into the Lawrence area last week is expected to weaken with temperatures perhaps climbing back into the 40s Friday, weather forecasters say.
But sub-freezing temperatures the last few days have already taken a toll on underground waterlines and new plants and shrubs.

Rains force evacuation
Friday, November 30, 2001
Torrential rain swamped parts of the South on Thursday, flooding roads and forcing hundreds of people out of their homes. One woman died when her car was swept into a drainage ditch.

Officials anticipate early winter
Sunday, November 25, 2001
By Mike Belt

If temperatures happen to drop to frigid levels this week, officials say they're ready to help residents face the long, cold months ahead. According to the calendar, winter begins at 1:21 a.m. Dec. 21. But forecasters say winter's chill probably will hit sooner.

At least three killed in Texas storms
Friday, November 16, 2001
Storms packing heavy rain and tornadoes swept through central Texas on Thursday and were blamed for the deaths of at least three people who were swept away by floodwaters.

Florida Keys evacuated as hurricane nears
Monday, November 5, 2001
The Florida Keys were ordered evacuated Sunday as meteorologists warned that the chain of islands likely would be brushed by Hurricane Michelle. Rain spread into the state as the eye of the hurricane blasted down on the south coast of Cuba.

Deadly Midwest storms head east
Friday, October 26, 2001
Snow-shrouded North Dakota highways were strewn with abandoned cars and trucks Thursday, and tens of thousands of people across the Midwest were left without electricity after a blast of violent weather.

Harsher winter expected
Monday, October 22, 2001
Old Man Winter is expected to bring below-average temperatures to Missouri and Kansas again during this coming season.
"Brace for the cold," said meteorologist Suzanne Fortin of the weather service office in Pleasant Hill.

Forecasters predict windy, dry weather
Tuesday, October 16, 2001
By Matt Merkel-Hess

Coming winds may dry out the Lawrence area after more than an inch of rain fell Monday.
The weather should be dry through the end of the week, with highs in the mid to upper 60s and southwest winds.

Heavy rains soak Lawrence area
Tuesday, September 18, 2001
By Matt Merkel-Hess

Monday's thunderstorm left the Lawrence area sopping wet and pushed above-average rainfall totals even higher. A flash flood watch is in effect through 7 p.m. today, and more rain is expected.

High winds rip through county
Sunday, September 9, 2001
By Mindie Paget

It's the craziest thing, she admits, but Meldon Laury thinks a tornado might have touched down in her back yard Friday night. "I just feel that it had to be a twister," she said. "But I don't know — I could be wrong." Whatever it was, it snapped an old walnut tree about 10 feet up the trunk, sending the top 60 feet crashing into her back yard — narrowly missing her home near Crestline Drive.

Firebirds build early 14-6 lead
Saturday, September 8, 2001
By Chuck Woodling

Free State won the first quarter and a quarter on Friday night.
The remainder of the Firebirds' football game with Shawnee Heights will be played today, starting at noon.

Nursing center falls prey to storm
Saturday, September 8, 2001
By Mindie Paget

An unknown number of elderly residents were evacuated Friday night from one end of the Eudora Nursing Center after parts of the roof and a wall collapsed.
Authorities believe a microburst may have caused the roof on the southeast and southwest wings of the building to collapse. Strong winds from a thunderstorm that swept through Douglas County also caused structural damage to a wall in the southeast wing, said Spencer McCabe, chief of the Eudora Fire Department.

6News: Severe weather comes to area
Saturday, September 8, 2001
Powerful storms wreaked havoc in parts of the local region.

Storm batters power lines, starts fire
Sunday, August 26, 2001
By Terry Rombeck

An early morning storm lit up skies Saturday but darkened lights at thousands of area homes and caused at least one fire.
The storm — which hit the area about 1 a.m. — snapped 10 power poles in half and left electric lines on the ground just east of Baldwin.

Patience wears thin with hot weather
Friday, August 10, 2001
By Mindie Paget

You know it's hot when even the swimming pool isn't cool enough to beat the heat.
By Thursday afternoon, between 400 and 500 people had taken a dip in the Lawrence Outdoor Aquatic Center, 727 Ky., assistant manager Jaye Kowitz said. That's enough to keep the pool busy, she said, but it's definitely not one of the pool's busiest days.

Remnants of Barry pelt southern states
Tuesday, August 7, 2001
Diminished but not dead, the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry on Monday swamped the state capital, the rest of the Florida Panhandle and much of the Southeast with seemingly ceaseless torrents of rain.

Barry barrels toward Florida
Monday, August 6, 2001
Residents of the Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama braced for drenching rainfall and the possibility of flooding Sunday as Tropical Storm Barry headed for land, slowly gaining strength as it plowed across the Gulf of Mexico.
The storm had been expected to grow into a hurricane before making landfall sometime during the night, and a hurricane warning was posted for the Gulf Coast, extending from Pascagoula, Miss., eastward to Florida's Ochlockonee River, near Tallahassee, the National Hurricane Center said.

Scorchers continue
Thursday, August 2, 2001
By Joel Mathis and Mindie Paget

It's been so hot this week that people with homes are joining the city's homeless at an air-conditioned shelter. Gary Miller, president of the Lawrence Coalition for Homeless Concerns, said a temporary shelter in the gymnasium of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church has drawn more than three dozen people — including some who have apartments but lack air conditioning.

Heat wave rolls in
Saturday, July 7, 2001
By Tim Carpenter

Chuck Pachella says common sense today will help folks enjoy their golf stroke instead of suffering heat stroke. "We do have a sign about liquor and greasy food. It's detrimental when warm," said Pachella, of Eagle Bend Golf Course near Clinton Lake. He said Eagle Bend was booked solid for 200 rounds today — despite a hot-and-humid forecast for an expected high near 101 degrees and a heat index of 110 degrees.

Floodwaters occupy much of NE Kansas
Friday, June 22, 2001
By Matt Merkel-Hess

Stranger Creek did not make any friends here.
Much of the town of Easton sits on a flat plain just east of the creek, which flooded Wednesday.

Perry Lake rises, pushes campers away
Friday, June 22, 2001
By Stephanie Paterik

Rain has forced a partial exodus at Perry State Park, where the lake has swallowed boat docks and many camping sites.
Perry Lake continued to rise Thursday and could crest at 93 feet, according to Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks official Jerry Hover. Workers are moving campers and removing what they can from the park.

Heavy rains soak Lawrence
Friday, June 15, 2001
By Dave Ranney

Heavy rains stranded several Lawrence motorists Thursday and lightning knocked out power to the Douglas County Jail for about 90 minutes.
"We had some flooded-out vehicles on 23rd Street between Ousdahl and Naismith and on 19th Street around Alabama," said Lt. Ed Brunt, patrol supervisor with the Lawrence Police Department. None of the vehicles was towed, he said.

Tornado ruins home, storms take toll in Kansas
Friday, June 15, 2001
A home was destroyed and power lines and trees were downed after tornadoes touched down in central Kansas Wednesday night, the National Weather Service said.
No injuries were reported.

Rain offers mixed bag on farms
Sunday, June 10, 2001
By Matt Merkel-Hess

Cloudy and rainy weather has been good for at least one crop in Lawrence-area farm fields: weeds. "The weed population right now is winning," said Jim Carpenter, owner of Eudora Feed & Grain. "Weeds are going to start taking over the crops, and fields are too wet to get in there to spray." Last week, it rained five consecutive days in the area. The National Weather Service said 2.59 inches of precipitation fell on Lawrence.

Rainfall frustrates businesses
Sunday, June 10, 2001
By Stephanie Paterik

You won't find construction workers or outdoor business owners singing in the rain this spring. They are calling last week's precipitation everything from an inconvenience to a detriment — and home builders are cursing loudest. "A lot of times we've had to call off construction because the weather is too bad," said Bill Barnes, owner of Barnes Homes, 1127 Iowa.

Threat of flooding engulfs area
Wednesday, June 6, 2001
By Mike Belt

Several rural Leavenworth County roads were underwater Tuesday as Stranger Creek overflowed its banks. In Douglas County and other surrounding counties, flood concerns were eased at least for the day because of a respite from the heavy downpours of Sunday and Monday. But the flood threat is not over — another round of rain came late Tuesday — and will remain a concern for the area at least until Friday, the National Weather Service in Topeka said.

Flood fears surface with heavy rains
Tuesday, June 5, 2001
By Matt Merkel-Hess

Don't get out the sandbags yet.
But with soil sopping like a full sponge, there is the possibility of flooding with every rain, Steve Kays, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka, said Monday.

Western and central Kansas hit by widespread hail, tornadoes
Monday, May 28, 2001
Strong thunderstorms that moved through western and central Kansas Sunday afternoon and evening produced at least six tornadoes, the National Weather Service said.

Twisters touch down
Monday, May 21, 2001
At least five tornadoes touched down Sunday in northwest and central Kansas, damaging a farmstead but causing no injuries, authorities said.

Offered help told to leave
Monday, May 14, 2001
Contractors and farmers who arrived with heavy equipment to help after a tornado hit this town April 21 say they were told — sometimes rudely — to go home.

Town makes its comeback
Friday, May 11, 2001
By Terry Rombeck

For years, residents talked about the "Tonganoxie split."
Big storms never seemed to hit the town. They always went north toward Leavenworth or south toward Lawrence.

Hoisington assesses damage
Wednesday, April 25, 2001
Three days after a deadly tornado tore through here, city leaders intensified efforts to bring in the millions of dollars it will take to rebuild their community. Lt. Gov. Gary Sherrer's visit Tuesday to this community of 2,975 brought the most visible hope for some state relief.

Town assesses tornado damage
Tuesday, April 24, 2001
Superintendent Randy Evans picked his way Monday through the glass-littered halls of the high school as he grimly surveyed the damage inside.
The auditorium roof is completely gone. The vocational building is probably unsalvageable. The outside wall of the art room is gone. He can't even get inside the music room because of the debris blocking the entrance.

Governor offers aid to Hoisington
Tuesday, April 24, 2001
By Dave Ranney

Two years ago Gov. Bill Graves saw the destruction caused by a tornado that raked Haysville and parts of southern Sedgwick County.

Spring storms: Tornado ravages central Kansas town
Monday, April 23, 2001
Almost all night, Joyce Tauscher wandered aimlessly through the dark, debris-strewn streets of this central Kansas town. Two hours after a tornado tore a path six city blocks wide and a mile long, searchers found the body of her 69-year-old husband, Gerald, embedded in the ground underneath the minivan in their back yard.

Storms pelt Douglas County
Sunday, April 15, 2001
By Mike Belt

Severe weather hit the Douglas County area again Saturday night, unleashing heavy rain, hail and high winds that downed trees and power lines and spawned a funnel cloud. Extreme southern Douglas County was placed under a tornado warning from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. by the National Weather Service.

Tornado knowledge advances, but still inexact
Saturday, April 14, 2001
Predicting when and where ferocious twisters will blacken skies and toss pickup trucks like shot puts is getting more precise but remains an inexact science. That's why meteorologists and storm trackers won't go out on a limb to predict what kind of a tornado season we'll get this year.

Spring storms rip through Kansas
Thursday, April 12, 2001
This rural north-central Kansas community considered itself lucky Wednesday after a tornado tore through the town, damaged homes and power lines and temporarily shut down its biggest employer.

Thunderstorms fire through Lawrence area
Wednesday, April 11, 2001
By Mike Belt

Rain, lightning, hail and more rain struck the Douglas County area Tuesday, causing flash flooding, traffic accidents and at least one house fire. About 1 p.m., lightning struck the house of Jeff and Sue Morgan at 4604 Turnberry Drive. The lightning strike set fire to roof shingles and caused an estimated $7,500 worth of damage, said Capt. Larry Woydziak of Lawrence-Douglas Fire & Medical.

Lawrence pelted by hail, heavy rains
Tuesday, April 10, 2001
(Updated Tuesday at 5:35 p.m.) Heavy rain and pea-sized hail pelted the Lawrence area over the noon hour Tuesday, leading to flooding some some city streets. The area is in a tornado watch until 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Sites join forecast frenzy
Monday, March 26, 2001
Weather forecasting blunders of late gave us reason to seek other opinions. We found that, as Bob Dylan once sang, you don't need a weather man to know which way the wind blows.

Old Man Winter gives city last blast
Friday, March 16, 2001
By Mike Belt

Winter gave the Lawrence area one last punch before giving way to spring next week.
As much as 1 or 3 inches of snow could be on the ground this morning, forecasters with the National Weather Service in Topeka said.

Storm season on horizon
Sunday, March 11, 2001
By Kevin Bates

Even though the largest number of tornadoes strikes Kansas in May, weather forecasters say it's never too soon to prepare for severe weather. "Once March rolls around, things can really get going in a hurry," said Scott Whitmore, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Tornado safety tips
Sunday, March 11, 2001
Before the storm: Develop a plan for you and your family for home, work, school and when outdoors. Have frequent drills. Know the county in which you live, because severe weather warnings are issued on a county basis.

Day 5 for floodwaters
Saturday, August 14, 1993
A new pump installed to clear floodwater from North Lawrence wasn't operating this morning, leaving part of the city under water for a fifth day.

Rains, flood bring new priorities to commissioners
Sunday, July 25, 1993
In the wake of this summer's relentless rains and flooding, Lawrence city commissioners now must work on a whole new list of capital-improvement priorities, two city officials said Saturday.

Clinton ruling clears way for disaster aid to county
Friday, July 23, 1993
President Clinton included Douglas County in his declaration of major disaster areas Thursday, activating federal disaster assistance funds.

Rep. Meyers asks president for disaster aid
Wednesday, July 21, 1993
Foreboding waters rise to the west of Lawrence while some hopeful news has arrived from the east in the continuing saga of the 1993 flood. U.S. Rep. Jan Meyers, R-Kan., on Tuesday sent a letter to President Clinton, urging him to declare Douglas, Johnson and Wyandotte counties as federal disaster areas.

Damages set at $2.7 million
Friday, July 16, 1993
A storm that pounded Douglas County a week ago caused at least $2.7 million damage to government and business property and marred at least 900 acres of crops in the county, officials said today.

Estimate of flood damage is $1.6 million
Tuesday, July 13, 1993
Gov. Joan Finney made no promise of financial assistance to business owners Monday during a tour of flood-damaged areas of North Lawrence.

N. Lawrence tempers rise as water falls
Monday, July 12, 1993
The red piece of plastic sat in the mud on North Second Street this morning as a beacon for the fragile hopes of North Lawrence.

Cars, pavement swept away
Saturday, July 3, 1993
Fast-moving water surged through low-lying streets in Lawrence on Friday afternoon, with enough force in some areas to rip out asphalt and carry away small parked cars.