…but that doesn’t mean the dire predictions for a tornado outbreak Thursday were wrong.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Storm Prediction Center recorded 34 tornado reports, including 11 in Kansas. The tornadoes simply happened north and west of the Wichita area. Tornadoes were also reported in Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, South Dakota and Colorado.
“I think we probably did dodge a bullet a little bit” in terms of tornadoes, Reno County Emergency Management Director Bill Guy said.
But Sylvia reported significant power outages and tree damage, and hail as large as golf balls broke windows and damaged cars in and around Hutchinson, he said. Power poles were flattened in Barton, Kingman, Harper and Sumner counties.
Hail as large as golf balls and winds of 100 miles an hour were reported in Kingman County, and wind gusts of more than 80 miles an hour were reported in Anthony and five miles south of Goddard. Rose Hill reported trees downed and houses damaged.
Tree and roof damage was also reported in Wichita, along with scattered power outages. But few could argue that the city emerged from the storms in much better shape than many feared as the outbreak loomed.