Tornado activity was higher than average in 2024. Kansas saw 89 tornadoes from May to August. The first, April 23rd in south central Kansas and the last, September 21st near Horton. The average number the state sees is 88. The tornado outbreak on May 18th and 19th caused major damage in the towns of Grinnel and Plevna… but, six years ago on this date, 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.
Ottawan, Terry Seymore was on K-10 headed home, and suddenly… the tornado was on him. He pulled over to seek shelter and he describes what happened next:
It took Seymore a year to recover. 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. Always be weather aware.
