Severe Weather Causes Power Outages in Douglas County, Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kansas — More than 26,700 NV Energy customers in Douglas County experienced power outages as of 7:30 a.m. today. The cause of these outages is currently under investigation, and no estimated time for restoration has been provided.

In conjunction with the outages, severe weather is expected to impact the region significantly. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Topeka has issued warnings for rain and thunderstorms overnight into Tuesday, as well as snow accumulation late Tuesday into Wednesday.

Residents of Lawrence can expect an 80% chance of precipitation overnight, followed by a 90% chance throughout the day on Tuesday. Forecasts indicate storms may develop early Tuesday morning, with potential for damaging hail and wind.

The NWS emphasized, “Rain is forecast to change over to snow Tuesday evening. These winds with falling snow could create blizzard conditions.” The agency warns that whiteout conditions might make travel nearly impossible while snowfall occurs.

A high wind watch is also in effect from noon Tuesday through noon Wednesday, with expected wind speeds of 30 to 40 mph and gusts possibly reaching up to 60 mph. “Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are possible,” the NWS cautioned.

While the storm brings challenges, Wednesday’s forecast indicates partly sunny skies with a high near 40°F, followed by highs around 50°F on Thursday. The NWS also reports a possibility of rain returning Friday, pushing temperatures into the 60s.

Local weather service officials noted, “Travel could be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles,” encouraging residents to exercise caution.

In the event of continued power outages, residents can monitor the situation via the Evergy outage map online. Meanwhile, Douglas County Emergency Management is sharing resources for severe weather preparedness and response on their digital platforms.