SUTTON, Neb. — A cluster of severe thunderstorms has brought fierce, damaging winds to eastern Nebraska Saturday morning and threatens to continue its wrath into western Missouri, including the Kansas City area.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has placed that area in a Level 3 on its 5-point severe weather risk scale.
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Already, nearly a dozen storm reports have shown wind gusts well over 60 mph Saturday morning in eastern Nebraska, including a 70 mph gust in Milligan and a 68 mph gust in Beatrice.
The town of Sutton, Nebraska, declared a state of emergency Saturday morning, asking residents to stay off the roads, according to a Facebook post by city managers.
“Only emergency personnel and responders are allowed on the roadways at this time,” the post read.
An earlier storm report into the National Weather Service said there was flash flooding in town and some wind damage that left some structures damaged.
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A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 2 p.m. CT covering a swath of eastern Nebraska, northeastern Kansas, including Topeka, and northwestern Missouri, including Kansas City. Storms should reach the Kansas City area around midday.
Thunderstorms will continue to bring potential gusts to 75 mph, and heavy rains with large hail also a possibility.