DiscoverA People's History of Kansas CityAre tornado urban legends like the ‘Tonganoxie Split’ real?
Are tornado urban legends like the ‘Tonganoxie Split’ real?

Are tornado urban legends like the ‘Tonganoxie Split’ real?

Update: 2025-10-21
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For decades, urban legends have held that tornadoes seem to “split” around certain cities, like Tonganoxie, Kansas, or avoid sacred places, like Burnett’s Mound in Topeka. Mackenzie Martin and Maya Cederlund investigate whether these weather myths are backed up by evidence — or if they’re just stories we tell ourselves in the dark.
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Are tornado urban legends like the ‘Tonganoxie Split’ real?

Are tornado urban legends like the ‘Tonganoxie Split’ real?

Mackenzie Martin, Maya Cederlund