Daily Archives: March 11, 2009

A few tornado facts to munch on….

March 11, 20097:45 a.m.

….as we reach the mid-point of Severe Weather Awareness Week:

There were 187 tornadoes in Kansas last year, an all-time record for the state and far and away the most reported in the nation in 2008.

That 187 was more than three times the state’s annual average of 59 for the time period spanning 1950 to 2008; more than double the 30-year average of 73 tornadoes a year; and more than 90 above the 20-year average of 92.

Tornadoes were reported on 25 different days in Kansas last year, between March 2 and November 10.

Two tornadoes reached EF4 in strength: in Gove County on May 23, and in Riley County on June 11.

Four people were killed and nine others were injured by Kansas tornadoes in 2008. One woman was killed in Chapman, a man was killed in the village of Soldier and a couple from Colorado was killed as they drove east of Pratt on U.S. 54.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Tornadoes | Comments Off

A cold day awaits Wichita

March 11, 20096:05 a.m.

Don’t let the sunny skies fool you: it’s going to be a cold day in the Wichita metropolitan area today – particularly for mid-March.

Highs are expected to only reach the upper 30s, which is nearly 20 degrees below the average high for this time of year. Northerly winds gusting above 20 miles an hour will add extra bite to the day, forecasters say.

Temperatures will top out in the 40s the rest of the work week, before warmer weather arrives over the weekend.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Forecast | Comments Off