Tornado Alley

Okay... so this isn't very crafty. Unless you want to craft your own Kansas tornado out of paper, wire, legos, cheeze cubes...whatever floats your boat! (But if you do that, you have to send me a picture because I am a weather fanatic.)The tornado pictured above happened in Oklahoma.

I am sure if you live in Kansas, Oklahoma, or Texas, you are already hearing on the news that we need to prepare, as we do every year, for tornados and severe weather. There are other states that can be included in Tornado Alley (where the most tornados occur every year in the United States). Here is a map of the areas that have been historically the most tornado active.

If you live in one of these active zones, please consider taking storm spotter training. You do not have to become a storm spotter for the local weather service. It is just a really great way to learn and be able to recognize when a weather situation is right tornados or severe weather. Most states offer these programs, which are usually free. This is a fun evening to plan with your family and an opportunity for children to learn as well. Here are the dates, locations and times for storm spotter training here in Northeast Kansas. Check with your local TV news station to find out about events in your area.

February

25 Concordia, KS (Cloud County) 7:00pm CST Cook Theater, Community College 26 St. Mary's, KS (Pottawatomie County) 7:00pm CST Fire Station 405 West Lasley 27 Garnett, KS (Anderson County) 7:00pm CST North Park Community Building 28 Oskaloosa, KS (Jefferson County) 7:00pm CST Fire Department 508 Jefferson 28 Clay Center, KS (Clay County) 7:00pm CST Catholic Parish Hall 730 Court Street

March,

2008 - Upcoming Day City, State Time Location

03 Junction City, KS (Geary County) 7:00pm CST 4H Senior Center 1025 S. Spring Valley Road

03 Herington, KS (Dickinson County) 7:00pm CST Community Building 810 S. Broadway 04 Minneapolis, KS (Ottawa County) 7:00pm CST Courthouse Basement 307 N. Concord St. 04 Seneca, KS (Nemaha County) 7:00pm CST Community Building 1500 Community Drive 06 Eudora, KS (Douglas County) 7:00pm CST Community Center 1638 Elm St. 10 Topeka, KS (Shawnee County) 7:00pm CDT Washburn University Memorial Union 10 Location Undetermined (Osage County) 7:00pm CDT 11 Holton, KS (Jackson County) 7:00pm CDT Senior Citizens Building 312 Pennsylvania 11 Ottawa, KS (Franklin County) 7:00pm CDT Celebration Hall 1701 S. Elm 12 Topeka, KS (Shawnee County) 7:00pm CST 12 Olpe, KS (Lyon County) 7:00pm CDT Knights of Columbus 212 Iowa St. 13 Location Undetermined (Osage County) 7:00pm CDT 17 Westmoreland, KS (Pottawatomie County) 7:00pm CDT Fire Station 305 South 6th St. 18 Abilene, KS (Dickinson County) 7:00pm CDT Civic Center 201 NW 2nd St. 18 Marysville, KS (Marshall County) 7:00pm CDT Helvering Community Center 111 South 8th St. 19 Manhattan, KS (Riley County) 7:00pm CDT Fire Station 2000 Denison Ave. 20 Lawrence, KS (Douglas County) 7:00pm CDT Arts Center 940 New Hampshire St. 24 Burlington, KS (Coffey County) 7:00pm CDT Courthouse Basement 110 S. 6th Street 24 Council Grove, KS (Morris County) 7:00pm CDT Courthouse 501 W. Main 25 Hiawatha, KS (Brown County) 7:00pm CDT Fisher Community Center 201 East Iowa Street 25 Perry, KS (Jefferson County) 7:00pm CDT American Legion 410 Perry Place 26 Topeka, KS (Shawnee County) 7:00pm CDT Kansas Museum Of History 6425 SW 6th Avenue 27 Emporia, KS (Lyon County) 7:00pm CDT Anderson Building Fairgrounds West Highway 50 and Industrial Road 27 Baldwin City, KS (Douglas County) 7:00pm CDT Baldwin Elementary School 100 Bullpup Drive 31 Washington, KS (Washington County) 7:00pm CDT First National Bank 101 C Street 31 Alma, KS (Wabaunsee County) 7:00pm CDT Wabaunsee High School

April, 2008 - Upcoming Day City, State Time Location

01 Belleville, KS (Republic County) 7:00pm CDT 4H Building Fairgrounds 901 O Street