GOODLAND, Kan. (AP) — A winter storm packing high winds and heavy snow is expected to hit northwest Kansas. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for the area, forecasting up to about 8 inches of snow for today (TUE). The weather service says the combination of heavy snow and wind gusts up to 55 miles per hour will lead to whiteout conditions in northwest Kansas through this (TUE) afternoon. Jesse Lundquist, meteorologist with the weather service in Goodland, says he expects about 2 inches of snow an hour over the period. The Salina Journal reports that a section of Interstate 70 was closed briefly Monday evening when a tornado crossed the highway near Grainfield, damaging buildings and uprooting trees. Nearly two dozen tornadoes were reported in western Kansas late Monday afternoon and evening. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the tornadoes were part of a rare November outbreak that spanned three states. The outbreak was the latest on record for northwest Kansas and so many tornadoes touched down in southwest Kansas that a weather official called it “unprecedented” for that part of the state in November. A total of 41 tornadoes were reported in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Significant damage occurred near Pampa, Texas, and lesser damage was reported elsewhere.
