Garden City, Kansas – Residents across southwest Kansas are bracing for severe weather Thursday as a tornado watch remains in effect until 9 p.m., with damaging winds and large hail already reported in several counties.
According to the National Weather Service, areas including Garden City, Ulysses, Liberal, and Lamar could see a few tornadoes, scattered hail up to tennis ball size, and wind gusts reaching 75 mph. The watch affects over 117,000 residents across portions of western Kansas and eastern Colorado.
Communities in Grant, Finney, and Seward counties should remain alert as rotating supercells may quickly develop into tornadic storms. Travel along U.S. Routes 50 and 83 could become hazardous due to sudden wind shifts and flying debris.
Emergency managers urge residents to shelter indoors, secure loose objects, and charge devices in case of power outages. Schools and medical facilities in the watch area—totaling 121 schools and 13 hospitals—are monitoring conditions closely.
This is the first widespread tornado watch for the region this June. Stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio or local media for updates. Watches or warnings may be extended or upgraded as storms evolve.
