A tornado warning for Lawrence and northern Douglas County expired at 8:30 p.m. as National Weather Service radar indicated a severe thunderstorm containing a possible tornado had exited the area, leaving behind downed power lines and minor damage.

About 8:25 p.m., firefighters were battling a house fire near 12th Street and Almira Avenue thought to be the result of a lightning strike. Power was out temporarily at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, and crews were working to restore power to other areas in central and west-central Lawrence.

National Weather Service 6News Weather

As it moved through the area, the storm dropped heavy rains and pea-sized hail on the city. At 8:08 p.m., storm spotters reported a rotating wall cloud 1 mile south of Lawrence.

At 8:12 p.m., radar images indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado, moving east at 25 mph.

Tornado warning sirens sounded in Eudora before 8:30 p.m. as radar showed conditions favorable for development of a tornado.

Though the warnings have expired, a tornado watch for much of northeast Kansas continues in effect until 10 p.m. In addition, a flood watch is in effect until 5 a.m.

As the brunt of the storm moved through Lawrence shortly after 8 p.m., about 760 residents of west-central Lawrence lost power when transmission equipment was struck by lightning. Crews were working to restore power to customers in an area roughly bounded on the west by Iowa Street, on the east by Mississippi Street, and between Sixth and Ninth streets.

Downed power lines were reported in the 1200 block of Pennsylvania Street and elsewhere across the city.

Earlier, a tornado was reported on the ground near Forbes Field south of Topeka. No damage was immediately reported, and the storm blew eastward toward Stull and Lecompton. Topeka authorities said a building was damaged in the area of Southwest 77th and Burlingame Road. Tornado warnings also were posted for parts of Osage, Wabaunsee and Jefferson counties.

Law enforcement reported a tornado briefly touched down at about 7:30 p.m. in a farm field about one mile west of Harveyville in Wabaunsee County. A tornado also was reported about three miles west of Harveyville.