Brief `Landspout’ Tornadoes Spotted In SW Kansas

A series of small, brief tornadoes have been reported in southwestern Kansas, with damage limited by mid-evening Wednesday to a ruined shed.

The public began reporting sightings of funnel clouds and rope tornadoes shortly before 6 p.m. in Gray and Finney counties.

The National Weather Service described the brief tornadoes as “landspouts” created by unsettled weather and said they were not related to Wednesday’s supercell tornado outbreak in Oklahoma.

Weather Service meteorologist Frederick Kruse in Dodge City says landspouts typically last only a few minutes and rarely do damage.

No tornado warnings were issued before most of Wednesday’s landspouts because, Kruse said, “as soon as we get a warning out on one, it’s gone.”