Category Archives: Flooding

Flood warning for portions of Sedgwick, Sumner counties

27 May, 20104:14 p.m.

A flood warning has been posted until 9 p.m. for portions of Sedgwick and Sumner counties of south-central Kansas.

The National Weather Service has posted the warning for southeastern Sedgwick and northeastern Sumner counties as a result of very heavy rainfall in the designated area.

Radar estimates 1 to 2 inches of rain have fallen across the area, with another 1 to 2 inches possible.

The heavy rain is expected to trigger street flooding as well as leave water on highways and underpasses. Rural country roads and farmland along creek banks and streams will be susceptible to flooding as well.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Flooding | Comments Off

Flood warnings issued for Sumner and Harper counties

25 May, 20108:47 a.m.

The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for Harper and Sumner counties in southern Kansas.

Anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of rain fell in Harper County overnight, officials said, with higher amounts reported in small pockets. The southern half of the county was hit particularly hard.

Water has been reported over K-44 and K-179 east and south of Anthony, as well as some rural roads in the county. Additional rain is expected to flood small creeks and streams, as well as country roads, low water crossings and adjacent farm land.

The Chikaskia River near Corbin in Sumner County is forecast to flood later today, the weather service reported. At 7 a.m., the water stage was 8.8 feet. Flood stage is 10 feet, and the water is expected to rise above that late this morning.

The Chikaskia is expected to crest near 12 feet by this afternoon before falling below flood stage Wednesday morning. Farm land flooding is anticipated.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Flooding | Comments Off

Meanwhile, across the pond…….

23 November, 20093:31 p.m.

….in England, one of the people I met while working on a story about storm chase tours several years ago alerted me that the United Kingdom last week recorded its heaviest rainfall ever in a 24-hour period.

Martin Ferris wrote that Seathwaite in the Lake District of northern England recorded 314.4 millimeters (12.4 inches), beating the previous record of 279 millimeters (11.0 inches) set in 1955.

Massive flooding was reported in the region, inundating hundreds of homes and killing a policeman who was standing on a bridge at Cockermouth when the floodwaters tore it apart and swept him away.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Flooding, Rain | Comments Off

Flood watch for Wichita and surrounding area

17 August, 200912:43 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for 17 counties in southern Kansas, including the Wichita metropolitan area.

The watch lasts through Tuesday afternoon. Scattered thunderstorms are expected to continue overnight in the warned area, with rain falling on already saturated ground.

The counties included in the watch are Reno, Harvey, Butler, Greenwood, Woodson, Allen, Kingman, Sedgwick, Harper, Sumner, Cowley, Elk, Wilson, Neosho, Chautauqua, Montgomery and Labette.

Cities in the watch area are Wichita, Hutchinson, Newton, El Dorado, Augusta, Andover, Kingman, Sedan, Yates Center, Anthony, Harper, Wellington, Winfield, Arkansas City, Chanute, Coffeyville, Independence and Parsons.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Flooding | Comments Off

Flood warning for Sumner and Cowley counties

17 August, 200912:19 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for Sumner and Cowley counties until 6:45 p.m. today.

Radar indicated thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall were striking the warned area, with rainfall rates of more than an inch an hour indicated with the stronger storms.

With the ground already saturated in many areas, flooding is likely in the warned areas.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Flooding | Comments Off

Heavy rain in Reno County prompts flood warning

30 April, 200912:24 p.m.

Torrential rain in the Pretty Prairie area this morning – 1.75 inches in 45 minutes – has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood warning for southeastern Reno County.

The basin most affected by the rainfall will be the north fork of the Ninnescah River.

Expect more episodes like this over the next several days, forecasters warn.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Flooding, Rain | Comments Off

Roads closed around Kansas by flooding

27 April, 200912:28 p.m.

The Kansas Department of Transportation has compiled a list of roads closed around the state due to flooding. There are 10 at the moment, including two in the Wichita area: one in Butler County and one in Sumner County.

With skies clearing later today in the Wichita area and Tuesday expected to be dry, it will give area waterways several precious hours to ease back from flood conditions.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Flooding | Comments Off

Flash flood warning for Sedgwick County

26 April, 20097:20 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Sedgwick County until 1 a.m.

Radar indicates 1 to 2 inches of rain have fallen in the area, with another 1 to 3 inches possible over the next few hours.

Another flash flood warning has been issued for portions of Dickinson, Geary and Morris counties in northcentral Kansas until 10:15 p.m.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Flooding | Comments

With steady rains on the way, flood watch issued for Wichita area

25 April, 20098:15 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch stretching from Sunday afternoon to Monday afternoon in 8 counties in southern Kansas, including Sedgwick, Harvey, Butler, Sumner and Cowley in the Wichita area.

Sporadic thunderstorms are expected to deliver as much as 3 inches of rain in parts of the watch area by Monday morning.

Other counties included in the flood watch are Marion, Chase and Greenwood north and east of the Wichita area.

By Stan Finger | Filed under Flooding | Comments Off

Eleven counties earn disaster declaration after flooding

2 October, 20089:16 a.m.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Wednesday signed a State of Disaster Emergency for 11 Kansas counties affected by severe storms, heavy rains and flooding that began Sept. 11.

The counties named in the declaration are Anderson, Butler, Chase, Cowley, Greenwood, Harper, Harvey, Lyon, Russell, Sedgwick, and Sumner.

“Although people often think of tornadoes as the big destructive force of nature in Kansas, floods can be just as damaging, if not more so,” Sebelius said. “While tornadoes are generally limited in scope, floods affect many, many square miles, destroying or damaging roads, bridges, power lines and other vital infrastructure.”

Local damage assessments are continuing and federal assistance may be requested as the damage total rises.

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