Power Outage in Leavenworth, KS

Through the afternoon on December 15th strong wind caused sustained winds in the 40 to 50 mph range, with frequent gusts well over 60 mph. While most ASOS and AWOS stations recorded gusts around 65 mph, there were several reports of higher winds and damage representative of around 70 mph, such as tree damage and powerlines down. This all preceded strong thunderstorms that also caused strong winds and scattered damage across the area.

Power lines were down near Mt. Olivet Road and 179th.

A tree was knocked down onto power lines at 171st and Cantrell Road.

Light to moderate freezing rain formed early morning on New Year's Day. This freezing rain quickly accreted between a quarter to half inch before sunrise. Shortly after sunrise the freezing rain switched to light snow, which persisted for the bulk of the remaining day time hours. The snow did not accumulate more than 1 to 3 inches, but on top of the ice accretion created winter storm conditions. Mostly scattered power outages and vehicle accidents were the impacts, but being a holiday, road traffic was likely light.

A 12 inch diameter tree was down at Spruce and Central in Leavenworth. The tree did some power line and power pole damage.

Dispatchers reported that power poles were blown down near Sherman Township.

Through the day on February 20, 2018 numerous accidents occurred as a result of widespread accumulating ice. Patchy freezing drizzle started as early as midnight on the morning of February 20, but the heavier rain fell through the morning and early afternoon hours. Numerous powerlines and trees sustained some damage from the accumulation of 1/8 to 1/3 inch of ice across a widespread area, including the Kansas City metro area.

Power lines down across the area.

Power pole down near Fairmount, Kansas.

A dry line punched through the area on the afternoon of November 11, bringing 50 to 60 mph synoptic straight line winds. Local ASOS observations reported gusts near 60 mph across the area, but the winds also damaged, trees, power lines, and a few outbuildings. This dry line also created some thunderstorm activity, which caused some isolated convective wind damage.

A tree fell over into the power lines in West Leavenworth, causing the transformer to blow.

Freezing rain moved into the area early in the afternoon on December 21. The time in which the ice accumulated was not very long, but in the 6-8 hours between when the freezing rain began and when it transitioned into light snow about .10 to .40 of ice accumulated. Trained spotters reported the various ice amounts, however the ASOS at Kansas City International Airport (KMCI) reported .37 of rain while reporting freezing rain. After the freezing rain transitioned to snow between 1 and 3 inches of snow fell on top of the accumulated ice. Several vehicle spin outs were reported across the Kansas City Metro area. While scattered power outages were reported, and despite the several disabled vehicles on the roads, widespread effects were not incredibly high impact.

Several powerlines were reported down. Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 60 mph.

Power out in much of Leavenworth, due to downed power lines. A roof was blown onto Highway 73. Trees also reported blocking Highways 73 and 92. Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 60 mph.

Trees and power lines were reported down with winds estimated to 60 mph.

Trees and powerlines were reported down in Leavenworth. Winds were estimated up to 80 mph.

Up to three quarters of an inch of ice was reported across the county. Many tree limbs and some power lines were reported down.

A SUV struck a power pole and knocked it down. The driver was not injured. 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice across the county.

Trees and power lines down.

Power poles and tree limbs down.

Tree limbs and power lines down.

A powerful storm system brought heavy snow, ice and even blizzard conditions to a large portion of the central plains on December 7-9, 2009. The greatest impact occurred across north central and northeast Kansas, southeast Nebraska, northwest and north central Missouri, and both southern and eastern Iowa, where strong winds gusting up to 45 mph produced blizzard conditions. The heaviest snowfall observed across extreme eastern Kansas was 8 inches in Atchison.||A review of the snow storm archives found this storm unusual in that it was the first snow storm that blizzard conditions were reported - wind speeds of 35 mph greater and wind-driven snow reducing visibilities to 1/4 mile or less sustained for three hours or more - to affect the forecast domain of the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill, Missouri since the office opened in the 1992. Though observed snowfall in the 10 to 14 inch range is uncommon, there have been several instances that snow amounts of these magnitudes have been observed in the past 15 years. What is unusual is the combination of heavy snow and wind speeds exceeding 35 mph. Since record keeping began, only five other instances have been recorded in which blizzard or near-blizzard conditions have impacted the forecast area for which the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill has responsibility: February 5, 1924, December 31, 1978-January 1, 1979, December 1-2, 1985, January 18, 1996 and January 27, 1996.