NORMAN, OK — The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has issued Tornado Watch 701, remaining in effect until 10:00 PM CST this evening, for a broad swath of central and southern Kansas.
The severe weather alert covers 26 counties as an intensifying storm system sweeps across the Plains, bringing conditions favorable for severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes.
Affected Kansas Counties
Residents in the following counties should stay alert and monitor local weather updates:
- Barber, Barton, Butler, Chase, Comanche, Cowley, Edwards, Ellis, Ellsworth, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Kiowa, Lincoln, Marion, McPherson, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Rush, Russell, Saline, Sedgwick, Stafford, and Sumner.
Essential Tornado Safety Tips
With severe weather threatening the region, local emergency management and the National Weather Service remind residents to review safety protocols before storms strike:
- Know Where to Go: Identify the safest place in your home before severe weather threatens—ideally a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor (such as a bathroom, closet, or hallway) away from all windows.
- Stay Informed: Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank NOAA Weather Radio tuned to local broadcasts, and enable emergency alerts on your smartphone. Ensure notifications are not set to silent mode.
- Protect Your Head: If a tornado warning is issued for your area, cover your head and neck with your arms, and use pillows, heavy blankets, or a mattress for extra shielding against flying or falling debris.
- On the Road: Do not try to outdrive a tornado in a car. If you are caught on the road, abandon your vehicle safely and seek shelter in a sturdy building. If no structures are available, flatly lie in a low-lying ditch or depression while covering your head.
- Have a Emergency Kit: Keep a kit ready with essentials including water, non-perishable food, flashlights, extra batteries, a first-aid kit, and sturdy shoes.
