Storm brings needed rain to Lawrence

A powerful storm swept through Lawrence on Sunday, but it didn’t leave much in its wake besides needed moisture for farmers.

The area received more than a third of an inch of rain Sunday, according to meteorologist John Woynick, of the National Weather Service in Topeka. He said no hail was reported in the area.

Douglas County has been listed as a “moderate drought” area in the most recent U.S. Drought Report. Surrounding counties are under the same category; however, the northeasternmost parts of Kansas have been “abnormally dry.”

Capt. Nathan Stover, of Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical, said there were no motor-vehicle accidents related to the storm in Lawrence. He said his department did receive a call for a possible fire as a result of a lightning strike, but there was no fire, and responders could not confirm if a strike had occurred.

Lawrence was also largely free of storm-related power outages, according to Westar Energy spokeswoman Erin La Row. The biggest outage, she said, affected 10 customers in Lawrence, while as many as 34 in Tonganoxie had the lights go out.