Officials defend decision not to sound warning sirens during Lee’s Summit tornado
Officials in Lee’s Summit defended their decision not to activate outdoor warning sirens during a tornado that touched down Monday.
An EF1 tornado touched down at 8 p.m. near Northwest Chipman Road and Olive Street. Winds reached 108 mph.
City officials said in a statement Tuesday that the decision not to activate the sirens was made when the National Weather Service warned only of a tornado over Grandview.
According to the National Weather Service, no radar indicated rotation indicative of a tornado, and trained storm spotters did not report rotation as the storm passed over Lee’s Summit.
The Boise Cascade Building Materials office building was completely destroyed by the tornado, and a nearby lumber yard sustained minor damage. About 19 other homes and businesses within about five blocks were damaged, and fallen trees damaged power lines in the area.
No injuries were reported.
Other methods of severe weather notification were activated and utilized during the storm, officials said.
The city and the Lee’s Summit Fire Department will re-evaluate its policy regarding severe weather notification.
Toriano Porter: 816-234-4779, @torianoporter
This story was originally published March 7, 2017 at 8:23 PM with the headline "Officials defend decision not to sound warning sirens during Lee’s Summit tornado."