Raising awareness about severe weather
Across Kansas March 2 to 6 is being observed as Severe Weather Awareness Week, and the annual campaign heightens the need to prepare for adverse conditions that can start in the spring.
In the Sunflower State and fellow rural states in the High Plains, we know that every year, Mother Nature is going to play hardball and put farmers and ranchers and rural communities at risk for a haymaker that can include hail, flooding, tornadoes, and high winds. No one in the middle of the country is immune to a cantankerous gut punch from Mother Nature.
In Kansas, according to the National Weather Service, Kansas experienced an unusually quiet tornado year, reporting only 30 twisters, a sharp decrease from 76 in 2024. Thankfully, there were no fatalities or serious injuries in 2025.
The NWS is quick to note that lightning strikes and flooding are more likely to kill people than tornadoes on an annual basis. Because of that, the NWS goes to great lengths to remind people to take note of not only tornado warnings and watches, but also thunderstorms and flash flood warnings and watches.
Important information
• Tornado—A tornado is a violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground either as a pendant from a cumuliform cloud or underneath a cumuliform cloud, and it is often (but not always) visible as a funnel cloud, according to the NWS. A funnel cloud is a condensation cloud typically funnel-shaped and extending outward from a cumuliform cloud and is associated with a rotating column of air that may or may not be in contact with the ground.
• Severe thunderstorm—The NWS issues severe thunderstorm warnings for storms that are currently or are capable of producing winds of 58 miles per hour or stronger and/or hail one inch in diameter or larger. Severe thunderstorms are often much stronger than this minimum criterion, so it is a good idea to take severe thunderstorm warnings seriously.
• Flash flood—A flash flood can occur very rapidly, usually within six hours of heavy rainfall. Flash flooding may occur along creeks, rivers or streams. It can also occur in low lying or urban areas where drainage is poor. Water levels can rise very quickly during flash flooding, including locations that did not receive heavy rainfall but are located downstream from areas that received an extreme amount of rainfall. Flooding is the No. 1 severe weather killer in the U.S.
Waiting until a strong storm is imminent to familiarize yourself with prevention techniques can be a recipe for personal disaster.
Thankfully the good news is that Severe Weather Awareness Week gives all of us an opportunity to prepare ourselves, families, friends, and employees. The National Weather Service suggests taking time to prepare emergency kits and review tips that do make a difference.
An emergency kit
A first-aid kit should be at the top of the list. Plus, High Plains families should have a three-day supply of water and non-perishable food (for each family member including pets). A change of clothes and shoes for each family member is a must.
Also collect prescription medicine and special needs items, a battery powered radio and NOAA weather radio, plus cash and a credit card. Other items must include flashlights with extra batteries, a whistle to call for help, and a cell phone and charger chat is solar/battery powered.
The most important assets in a rural community are people. Taking action to raise awareness and saving lives is the best investment we can make in the High Plains.
Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected].
