BEATRICE – The National Weather Service said tornadoes that hit parts of northeast Kansas Tuesday night rated as EF-2 twisters.

The Topeka office of the National Weather Service issued preliminary results of survey teams.   The first tornado….began at 7:45 p.m. and lasted until 8:15 p.m.  The tornado touched down northeast of Alta Vista in Wabaunsee County and traveled 8.8 miles, with a maximum width of about 400 yards.  It had estimated peak winds of 115-miles-per-hour.

A tornado, also rating an EF-2, began at 8:27 p.m. near the north side of Rossville in Shawnee County.  It traveled 4.7 miles on the ground, reached a maximum width of 200 yards and had estimated peak wind speeds of 120 miles-per-hour.

The severe weather also dropped extremely large hail across parts of Kansas and Missouri.  Hail near the size of a softball measuring four inches in diameter was reported in the town of Wabaunsee….while three-inch hail was reported in Geary County near Junction City and Fort Riley, Kansas.

Weather officials say the hail is the product of strong thunderstorms and the size of it depends on the strength of the updraft….the upward flow of air in a thunderstorm.

Rossville tornado path (NWS Topeka)
Rossville tornado path (NWS Topeka)