06/11/08: NOW: NE/IA/KS/MO

[Tim Stoecklein]

WIBW out of Topeka has live streaming coverage on their site. Getting ready to hear from Riley Co EMD. I just moved from there in August (worked at KSU), and was the county spotter coordinator for a better part of my time there. I feel your anxiety Mike....

I've heard from a few friends and family, but still waiting to hear from a couple of former co-workers. WIBW is getting confirmation of houses destroyed on west side of town, and at Little Apple Toyota on Seth Child Blvd.

 

[Mike Umscheid]

Looks to me like the tornado is approaching K-99 near Louisville.

Mike U.: Can you clarify your post?

I wasn't sure exactly what you wanted me to clarify, maybe the "final stages of the tornado" part? It looks like the K-99 near Louisville TVS developed after the Ogden-Manhattan tornado dissipated. I think the northwest of Louisville circulation is new after Manhattan, in other words it cycled. That's my initial interpretation of the 88D vel data.

 

[Donald Giuliano]

Talked to a friend who lives on the north side of Manhattan, she said they spent about the last hour in a storm shelter and everything is fine where they're at, but supposedly the shopping mall and possibly the south side of the K-State campus got hit (very sketchy info at this point). Hopefully everyone in town is OK.

 

[Brett Adair]

Hearing that Manhattan High has been destroyed as well...

 

[Dick McGowan]

Looks like minor damage to trees/houses, here at Sunset and Hunting in Manhattan, large trees are snapped, power lines are down. It's pretty hard to see with the power out and people are out looking at the damage with heavy traffic.

 

[Mike Umscheid]

Thanks, Mike.

And the debris ball over Tuttle Creek Blvd is a very bad sign.

the 401 and 405 UTC volume scans are very sobering indeed... it sure looks like a debris echo to me, which perfectly matches the tight TVS couplet. You could track that right across town, and get an idea which part of manhattan received the brunt of damage... especially since Manhattan is only 20nm from KTWX 88D. There is still a block or two or three degree of error, but man, at least some of KSU campus had to have received substantial damage. I don't know how sprawled out the campus is

 

[Marc Austin]

Very tight couplet appearing west of Holton, KS originating from earlier Manhattan meso.

 

[Tim Stoecklein]

I don't know how sprawled out the campus is

If you can match it up with your mapping, campus runs from Kimball Ave south to Anderson/Bluemont...from College Ave east to North Manhattan Avenue.

 

[Donald Giuliano]

Another monster couplet has developed northeast of Manhattan. From the looks of it, I'd say Manhattan was lucky it wasn't this tornado that came to town instead of the one that did. The current couplet indicates a likely wedge completely buried in precip...fortunately it's out in the middle of nowhere and appears to be threading the needle between Havensville and Soldier right now.

**EDIT**

Based on the latest scan it looks to have wobbled slightly to the right...Soldier may have taken a direct hit.

 

[Brett Adair]

Much nastier couplet just smacked Soldier, KS.....what a cyclic supercell.

 

[Mike Parker]

Wow, Soldier, KS looks to be right in the path of an amazing couplet. Does not look good for them.

 

[Mike Ridgeway]

Strong circulation near Wetmore (WIBW Topeka). Seems to be holding together quite well. More and more damage being reported in Manhattan.

 

[Brett Adair]

Manhattan [Riley Co, KS] emergency mngr reports TORNADO at 10:00 PM CDT -- significant damage to businesses and kansas state university reported.

This tornado sounds like it may have the magnitude of EF-2+ from the ominous reports that are coming in. May see a QRT team deployed to KS tomorrow.

 

[Eric Flescher]

Storms now entering Holt, Horton (KS) and Mound City, M0

12:56 CDT

Tornado watch extends to the counties in and nearby. These stormcells have rain, hail and moving towards north of St. Joseph.

TWC now has mentioned the Manhattan storm several times.