The potential for heavy snow at higher elevations in the western U.S. will continue for many spots through the weekend. In the meantime, the eastern half of the continental U.S. will transition to above normal temperatures ahead of a pair of cold fronts next week that will bring readings back to closer to normal as we approach Thanksgiving Day. Read More >
PERSONNEL FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA...ALONG WITH COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...CONDUCTED DAMAGE SURVEYS OF TWO OF THE TORNADOES THAT OCCURRED DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING OF JUNE 4TH 2005.
ONE TORNADO OCCURRED IN BROWN COUNTY SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST OF HIAWATHA. THIS TORNADO STARTED ABOUT ONE HALF MILE WEST OF HIGHWAY 73 AT 420 PM...JUST TO THE EAST OF BAKER...OR ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTH OF HIAWATHA. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED EAST NORTHEAST 3 MILES...ENDING UP ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HIAWATHA. IT HAD A MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH OF 150 YARDS. THREE FARMSTEADS OR BUSINESSES SUSTAINED DAMAGE...WITH A TOTAL OF 15 BUILDINGS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. SEVERAL CARS WERE ROLLED...AND A COMBINE WAS MOVED A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE. THIS TORNADO WAS RATED F2 ON THE FUJITA SCALE.
ANOTHER TORNADO OCCURRED OVER SOUTHWEST POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY AT THE LAKE ELBO COMMUNITY EAST OF MANHATTAN AT 530 PM. THIS TORNADO HAD A ONE HALF MILE LONG PATH LENGTH WITH A MAXIMUM WIDTH OF 100 YARDS. MANY LARGE TREES WERE DAMAGED OR BLOWN OVER...POWERLINES WERE DOWNED...A BOAT BLOWN ACROSS THE LAKE AND AT LEAST FOUR BUILDINGS SUSTAINED DAMAGE...PRIMARILY FROM TREES FALLING ON THEM. THIS TORNADO WAS RATED F1 ON THE FUJITA SCALE.
NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED FROM THESE TORNADOES.