5/23/2008

Jacque Boultinghouse didn’t have time for chit-chat Friday night as severe storms rolled through Sheridan County.

Tornadoes, hail and heavy rain were part of the weather fury bearing down on the Hoxie area.

Boultinghouse, the director of Sheridan County Emergency Management, was among dozens of officials dealing with an angry storm. Much of northwest and north-central Kansas was under severe weather or tornado watch Friday night.

“There’s some damage. I do know it’s in the southeast part of the county,” she said. “We’ve got people out there, but I’m not going to bother them.”

Storm systems made life hectic for thousands as the Memorial Day weekend got off to a turbulent start.

As folks were cleaning up from a Thursday night ravaged by nine tornadoes, large hail and heavy rain in northwest Kansas, the National Weather Service announced another round Friday.

For more on the storms, see Tim Unruh's story in Saturday's Salina Journal.