this is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Kansas.
Tornado activity was significantly lower than average in 2021. Kansas saw 37 tornadoes from May to August. The first on March 5th in Douglas County and the last October 26th in Reno County. The average number the state sees is 88.
But, three years ago in May, our area saw one of its most significant tornado events in recent memory. A monster, mile-wide, EF-4 tornado worked its way across the eastern edge of Lawrence.
Ottawa resident, Terry Seymore, was on K-10 headed home, when the tornado was on him. He pulled over to seek shelter and he describes what happened next:
That tornado injured more than a dozen people, destroyed 13 homes and damaged at least another 70, for a total of about $22 million in damage to homes and other structures in Douglas County.
