By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Another stormy night in Hays, the third time in five days.

Three waves of thunderstorms cut through Saturday night into early Sunday morning – at 9:20 p.m., 11 p.m. and 3:45 a.m. – according to official records at the K-State Agricultural Research Center south of town.

Weather keeper Joe Becker says the storms included high damaging winds, driving rain, ground lightning and thunder, with some small hail in the final wave.

The peak wind gust recorded at the research center was 65 mph at 10:10 p.m. At the Hays Regional Airport, a peak wind gust of 69 mph was recorded out of the southwest at 1:56 a.m. Sunday, with sustained wind of 53 mph.

The official rainfall amount was 2.72 inches. At the airport, 2.15 inches was recorded.

So far in August Hays has received 5.61 inches of rain, far exceeding the average total rainfall of 2.97 inches for August.

Total moisture recorded far the year to date is 20.25 inches. The average is 17.57 inches by the end of August.

The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a Flood Warning for Ellis County until 5:15 a.m. Monday, with radar-indicated rainfall amounts ranging from 3 to 7 inches across the area.