Tornado emergency declared in Kansas City

A large and dangerous tornado was reported on the western edge of Kansas City, Kansas, the National Weather Service said. The NWS issued a “tornado emergency” for the area known as the Legends Outlets near where the Kansas Speedway hosts NASCAR races. 

Damage reports were not immediately available. 

The NWS later expanded the tornado warning to include all of the Kansas City area including the Missouri side of the city. 

“The heart of KC is in this tornado warning! This is a dangerous situation. TAKE SHELTER NOW!” the NWS Kansas City office tweeted.  The tornado warning for metro Kansas City was over by 7:35 p.m. CT, but there were reports of dangerous weather moving through Missouri. 

Assistant Director Jillian Roderigue said Douglas County Emergency Management received a report of a tornado about 6:10 p.m. Monday near the small community of Lone Star, southwest of Lawrence.

She told CBS Kansas City affiliate KCTV there are no immediate reports of injuries. But KCTV meteorologist Brett Anthony saw damage on the south side of Lawrence.

The city of about 100,000 residents is home to the University of Kansas. It is about 50 miles southwest of the Kansas City International Airport.

The tornado is part of a massive severe weather system in the central United States that has produced tornado activity for eight straight days.More than 500 tornadoes have