Seven tornadoes touched down in Cowley County as storms moved through the area on Monday night. It’s the most confirmed in one day in this county for the 68 years such records have been kept.
A previous record for tornadoes in one day was four, back in 1984. The National Weather Service first confirmed five tornadoes in the county but has since adjusted that total to seven.
NWS and Cowley County Emergency Management surveyed areas of damage Tuesday to determine which of many funnel clouds had actually touched down. They released findings on three of those tornadoes Tuesday afternoon and plan to provide information on the remaining two Wednesday.
Brian Stone, emergency management director for this county, provided NewsCow-KSOK with the following information:
TORNADO ONE occurred two miles northwest of Ark City at 6:40 p.m. Its estimated peak wind speed was 83 miles per hour. It was rated an EF0. The path was .1 miles long and 20 yards wide.
Four power poles were damaged by this tornado. It was the very visible cone tornado reported by many chasers and spotters via social media. It was on the ground two minutes.
TORNADO TWO was EF2 rated and occurred one mile east of Maple City, Kan. at 9:42 p.m. and ended at 9:50 p.m. Its estimated peak wind speed was 118 miles per hour. It’s path was 2.1 miles long and 50 yards wide. The tornado started about 1.3 miles southeast of Maple City and ended 1.2 miles northeast of Maple City.
It mainly stayed over open country but knocked down four heavy power poles. Some trees were damaged.
TORNADO THREE was EF2 rated and had estimated top wind speeds of 120 miles per hours. It occurred 2.6 northeast of Maple City at 9:46 p.m. and lasted seven minutes. The path was .9 miles long and 75 yards wide.
The tornado started 2.6 miles northeast of Maple City and ended 2.5 miles northeast of Maple City.
The National Weather Services notes that “The tornado moved north then west/northwest, rolling a single wide manufactured home, heavily damaging some outbuildings, producing some tree damage and heavily damaging and downing wooden electrical transmission lines.”
TORNADO FOUR was an EF1 rated tornado and had an estimated peak wind speed of 107 mph. The path was 3.3 miles long and 50 yards wide. It began 3.6 miles east-northeast of Maple City and ended 6.4 miles northeast. It began at 9:55 p.m. and ended at 10:12 p.m.
Damage was snapped and uprooted trees and damage to outbuildings. A camper was flipped on 262nd Rd.
TORNADO FIVE was an EF1 that had a top wind speed of 94 miles per hour. It was .1 miles long and 50 yards wide. It lasted about two minutes and started at 9:53 p.m.
It began 2.8 miles northeast of Winfield and ended at the same point. The tornado touched down in open country but did uproot some trees.
TORNADO SIX was an EF1 that occurred 3.8 miles northeast of Winfield and had a top wind speed of 98 miles per hour. It lasted about five minutes and was 2.5 miles long and 50 yards wide.
It began 3.8 miles northeast of Winfield and ended 5.4 miles northeast. The tornado traveled north mainly over open country and produced sporadic extensive tree damage.
TORNADO SEVEN was also an EF1 and occurred about 2.5 miles west-southwest of Burden. It’s peak wind speed was estimated at 107 miles per hour. The path was 1.3 miles long and 50 yards wide.
It lasted from 10:03 p.m. to 10:05 p.m. and moved northeast. It began 3.7 miles southwest of Burden and ended up 2.5 miles west-southwest of Burden. The tornado traveled mainly over open country but produced sporadic extensive tree damage.
OTHER STORM NEWS:
High winds from the storm were said to have caused an accident in the 31000 block of U.S. 166 highway. Around 10:30 last night, Cowley County Deputies responded to the report of a non-injury rollover accident involving a semi-truck and trailer.
The driver was eastbound on 166 when high winds blew over the truck and an empty trailer.
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Damage from storms Monday included downed power poles. (Photo by Brett Coplen)
