Severe weather pushed through the region Tuesday dumping rain on the Manhattan area.
The afternoon storms prompted severe thunderstorm warnings, leading some area schools to shelter in place for a brief time ahead of dismissals while some after-school activities got canceled out of an abundance of caution.
Preliminary rainfall totals from Riley County Emergency Management ranged from a quarter inch to 1.4 inches as of late Tuesday afternoon. The National Weather Service reported 2.2 inches at the Manhattan Regional Airport as of 7 p.m.
Hail reports ranged across the region from penny to tennis ball size. Storms also produced strong winds, with peak gusts of 76 mph recorded near Concordia. Storms also prompted tornado warnings spanning, Clay, Cloud and Ottawa counties.
Storm damage was minimal in the Manhattan area with reports of downed trees at Anderson Ave. and Silver Creek, north of Keats. A downed tree was also noted in front of St. Thomas More Church along Kimball Ave. Further west, officials reported a semi rollover on Interstate 70 near Abilene, likely a result of strong winds.
Severe storms could redevelop later this week. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma currently has the Manhattan area in a slight (level 2) risk for potential severe weather late Thursday afternoon and evening.
