Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2024

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 261, NWS Wichita, KS

July 16, 2024Ellsworth County, Lincoln County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 16, 2024, 4:04 AM CDT for Ellsworth County, Lincoln County, Kansas. It was in force for 71 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 16, 2024, 4:04 AM CDT (09:04 UTC)
Expired
Jul 16, 2024, 5:15 AM CDT
In force
71 min
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Destructive
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
80.0 mph

Counties Ellsworth County, KS, Lincoln County, KS

The radar

The Wichita radar (KICT), 151 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 09:08 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 16, 4:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 00:00Z, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 192 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 2024-07-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1417 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 2024-07-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -9 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1417 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-117 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2989 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-9 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
107 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Wichita, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 16, 3:14 AM CDT, 50 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • A cooler but still hot day today with afternoon/evening showers and thunderstorms
  • Unseasonable cool temperatures expected for mid week and through the weekend. &&
Area forecast discussion, Jul 16, 3:14 AM CDT, 50 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wichita KS
314 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024

.KEY MESSAGES...

- A cooler but still hot day today with afternoon/evening
  showers and thunderstorms

- Unseasonable cool temperatures expected for mid week and
  through the weekend. &&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 313 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024

A frontal system will be slowly pushing through the CWA through the
day today and will making the temperature forecast rather tricky.
Convective debris from this morning storms will also make
temperatures tricky.  Most areas are expected to be hot again today
but not nearly as hot as yesterday.  Central Kansas will be as much
as 14-16 degrees cooler today.  Cloud cover and cooler air will
continue to push into the region through the afternoon.  The
presence of the front across the region will provide need forcing to
keep the chances for showers and thunderstorms in the forecast.
Lapse rates and shear values remain decent and bring the potential
for strong to severe thunderstorms this afternoon and into the
evening.  Hail up to half dollars and 70 mph winds will be possible
with the strongest storms.  The best chance for the severe
thunderstorm activity will be along Smokey and Red Hills of Central
and parts of South Central Kansas this afternoon and evening.

The potential for this activity will create a higher chance for
cloud cover in the afternoon.  This will keep the temperatures from
climbing into he 100s today as the front continues to sink south.
Areas of far Southeast Kansas are the most likely areas to see the
higher heat indices.  Could see a brief period of heat indices along
the Oklahoma State line in the 105-107 range during the afternoon
today.  This is high enough to warrant another heat advisory for
southern areas along the Oklahoma state line. By tonight, the
showers and thunderstorms will be pushing further south and will
over spread the region.  By Wednesday morning, the front will be
pushing to the south and the rain will be coming to an end by the
early afternoon.  Temperatures will take a tumble and are likely to
struggle to reach the mid and upper 80s in some areas.

The extended range indicates a series of Canadian high pressure
systems pushing into the region.  This will keep a persistent
northerly flow over the region.  This will keep the unseasonably
cool temperatures in the forecast through the coming weekend and the
chances for periodic rain as well.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 1229 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024

A convectively induced mid-level disturbance approaching from
the High Plains along with a frontal zone draped across the
region will support shower/thunderstorm chances overnight into
early Tuesday, mainly over central Kansas (i.e. Russell, Great
Bend, Salina, and maybe Hutchinson). Thinking the main threats
with the strongest activity will be erratic gusty winds, brief
heavy rain, and perhaps very small hail. Additional thunderstorm
activity is possible late this afternoon and tonight over
central and southern portions of Kansas in vicinity of the
frontal boundary, and also as activity rolls east-southeast off
the High Plains.

&&

.ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Heat Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM CDT this
evening for KSZ082-083-091>096-098>100.

&&

DISCUSSION...ELM
AVIATION...ADK
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 16, 3:26 AM CDT, 38 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Wichita KS
326 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024

KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-170830-
Russell-Lincoln-Barton-Ellsworth-Saline-Rice-McPherson-Marion-Chase-
Reno-Harvey-Butler-Greenwood-Woodson-Allen-Kingman-Sedgwick-Harper-
Sumner-Cowley-Elk-Wilson-Neosho-Chautauqua-Montgomery-Labette-
326 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas,
South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Thunderstorms will be possible through out the day today. Some
storms could be locally strong during the day. This afternoon,
severe thunderstorms will become more likely, mainly along and west
of a line from Saline county to Sumner county. Hail up to half
dollars and winds up to 70 mph will be possible with the strongest
storms. Heavy rain is also possible which could create some
localized flooding.

Heat indices of 104-108 will be possible for a few hours this
afternoon along the Oklahoma State line. See the latest heat
advisory for details.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

Chances for thunderstorms will linger into Wednesday before ending
by Wednesday evening. Slight chances for thunderstorms will return
by Friday night through Sunday, though the risk for severe weather
appears low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated today or tonight.

&&

For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at:
https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=ict

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 16, 2:26 AM CDT, 1 hour 38 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
226 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024

KSZ092-093-160800-
Cowley KS-Sumner KS-
226 AM CDT Tue Jul 16 2024

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN COWLEY AND
SOUTHEASTERN SUMNER COUNTIES THROUGH 300 AM CDT...

At 226 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a small cluster of strong
thunderstorms near Arkansas City, moving southeast at 10 to 15 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Arkansas City, Winfield, Dexter, Geuda Springs, Maple City, and
Strother Field Airport.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3700 9726 3727 9714 3727 9670 3700 9665
TIME...MOT...LOC 0726Z 294DEG 13KT 3711 9707

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

KLEINSASSER
Local storm report, Jul 16, 3:40 AM CDT, 24 minutes before
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The office that day

Everything else NWS Wichita, KS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 16, 2:26 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementICTCowley34 min
Jul 16, 3:08 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTRussell82 min
Jul 16, 3:10 AM CDTHeat AdvisoryICTChautauqua, Cowley, Elk, Harper, Kingman, Labette and 5 more17 hr
Jul 16, 3:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatICTRussell54 min
Jul 16, 4:38 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatICTSaline79 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 2024Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2024

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.