LJWorld.com / Torrential rain causes flooding in state

Archive for Wednesday, June 16, 2004

Precipitation of up to 9 inches reported

The Associated Press

June 16, 2004

Junction City — 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.

The winds, gusting to 70 and 80 miles per hour in some locations, took down trees, branches and power lines and damaged some buildings. Hail accompanied some of the thunderstorms. No injuries were immediately reported.

Florence Whitebread, chairwoman of the Geary County Commission, declared a state of emergency because of flooding in the southern part of the county. Gary Berges, the county's emergency management coordinator, said some rural roads were impassable. A section of Kansas Highway 57, from Clark's Creek in Geary County to Dwight in Morris County, was closed due to high water and debris on the road.

Berges said authorities had to help rescue one person, and cattle were reported floating in a creek about four miles south of Junction City.

Berges said there were estimates of between 5 and 9 inches of rain in some areas. Mike Akulow, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Topeka, said the overnight rain was particularly heavy in the Junction City area; he had reports of 2 to 5 inches.

Akulow said wind damage was reported in Wabaunsee, Morris and Geary counties. Joy Moser of the Kansas Adjutant General's office said the wind took off a roof in Brown County.

"We had a stationary front across the area, coupled with an upper level storm system," Akulow said. "They kind of came together over Kansas and produced a lot of thunderstorms."

Farther to the west, high winds took down some trees, power lines and a metal shed, said meteorologist Larry Boyd of the weather service office in Goodland.

"We got some pretty good rainfall out of it, too," Boyd said, with totals of more than an inch at Rexford, Quinter and Colby.

Northwest Kansas has been particularly dry.

"There is a great need for rain," Boyd said. "This helps, but we still need a lot more. We're under severe drought in this part of the woods. It will take 6 to 9 inches to recover from it."

Boyd said more rain, possibly heavy, was in the forecast.

"Everybody says, ‘We'll take it,'" said Boyd. "We'll take any