Lawrence Drenched: 5 Inches of Rain, Flash Floods

0:00Lawrence and nearby spots got slammed with 4-5 inches of rain over the past week, way above the usual monthly average. That includes a quick dump of nearly 3 inches from 1 a.m. to 7 a.m., Monday after smaller hits of 3-quarters inch Thursday and just over, half an inch Sunday night, flash flood warnings hit southeast of town, including Miami County. Road shut down fast, like E-1000 Road, in 1750 Road north of Lawrence, Norea Road, Greenway Circle East and U.S. Highway, 24-59-59 from Midland Junction to the Jefferson County Line. Douglas County Sheriff's Office posted the closures early Monday, and some flood warnings linger till noon in Douglas and Shawnee counties. Trees crashed down near downtown from the heavy rain and gusts up to 65 miles per hour around 5 a.m., including one on the homeless resource. Thunder at 944 Kentucky Street and another blocking the 1300 block. The soaked ground weaken roots, making those falls more likely.

1:02April's been soaked here, with over 7 inches total so far, against the normal 3.37. It eases some drought worries in western Kansas, helping farmers, but a couple dry weeks could flip that back. Cooler temps in the 60s this week stem from a cold front clashing with warmer air, sparking those storms. High chance of showers, Tuesday and Thursday. But clearer skies ahead with highs climbing to the 70s by the weekend. Stay dry out there. This has been Kansas News Today, powered by AI.