WICHITA, Kan. — The National Weather Service has issued Tornado Watch 136, which remains in effect until 9 p.m. CDT Thursday for a large portion of central, south central and southeast Kansas, including Reno County.
The watch means conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes, along with severe thunderstorms capable of producing large hail and damaging winds.
In central Kansas, counties under the watch include Chase, Marion, McPherson and Saline. South central Kansas counties include Butler, Cowley, Harper, Harvey, Kingman, Reno, Sedgwick and Sumner. The watch also extends into southeast Kansas, covering Allen, Chautauqua, Elk, Greenwood, Wilson and Woodson counties.
Cities impacted include Hutchinson, Wichita, Salina, Newton, McPherson, El Dorado, Arkansas City and Wellington, among others.
Forecasters say residents in the watch area should remain alert throughout the evening, monitor local weather updates and be prepared to take shelter quickly if warnings are issued.
A tornado watch differs from a warning in that a watch indicates conditions are favorable for severe weather, while a warning means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar.
Officials recommend having multiple ways to receive weather alerts and identifying a safe place to shelter, such as a basement or an interior room on the lowest level of a sturdy building.