The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning late Monday for southeast Shawnee and southern Jefferson counties, then let it expire after a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado moved through the area.
At 12:06 a.m., the storm was about 4 miles northwest of Globe and moving northeast at 45 mph, with the warning set to run until 12:30 a.m. for the two Kansas counties. That meant people in the path had only minutes to get under cover as the storm threatened flying debris and damage to mobile homes, roofs, windows, vehicles and trees.
The warning covered a familiar slice of northeast Kansas, where weather alerts can turn fast from caution to danger in a matter of minutes. Earlier storm coverage has shown how quickly local officials and residents have had to move, from schools and libraries to city shelters, when severe weather closes in.
The warning expired before the hour was up, but the detail that mattered most was the one that came first: the storm was still strong enough to be treated as tornado-capable while it was near Globe and pushing northeast. What remains unanswered is whether a tornado actually touched down before the alert was dropped.
