Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 38, NWS Dodge City, KS

May 29, 2026Barber County, Kansas

NWS Dodge City, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 29, 2026, 5:54 PM CDT for Barber County, Kansas. It was in force for 28 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 29, 2026, 5:54 PM CDT (22:54 UTC)
Expired
May 29, 2026, 6:22 PM CDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Dodge City, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Barber County, KS

The radar

The Vance AFB radar (KVNX), 44 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:57 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Norman, OK (KOUN), launched 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 224 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, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 2026-05-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 823 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, Norman, OK at 12:00Z on 2026-05-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 47 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
823 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-45 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1007 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
47 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
138 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
2.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

884 
WUUS53 KDDC 292254
SVRDDC
KSC007-292345-
/O.NEW.KDDC.SV.W.0038.260529T2254Z-260529T2345Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
554 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

The National Weather Service in Dodge City has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Southeastern Barber County in south central Kansas...

* Until 645 PM CDT.

* At 554 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Capron, or
  near Kiowa, moving northeast at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage 
           to roofs, siding, and trees.

* This severe thunderstorm will be near...
  Kiowa around 600 PM CDT.

Other locations in the path of this severe thunderstorm include
Hazelton.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.

&&

LAT...LON 3700 9853 3719 9835 3700 9835
TIME...MOT...LOC 2254Z 226DEG 26KT 3693 9851 

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

TATRO
1 follow-up statement
414 
WWUS53 KDDC 292322
SVSDDC

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
622 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

KSC007-292332-
/O.CAN.KDDC.SV.W.0038.000000T0000Z-260529T2345Z/
Barber KS-
622 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN BARBER COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

&&

LAT...LON 3700 9853 3719 9835 3700 9835
TIME...MOT...LOC 2321Z 226DEG 26KT 3707 9833 

$$

TATRO

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 Dodge City, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 29, 5:14 PM CDT, 40 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • T-storms are possible (20-30%) this afternoon and Saturday afternoon and then each day from Monday through Thursday.
  • Hot weather will return Saturday with highs in the 90s.
  • There are small chances (20-30%) for thunderstorms each day next week; and this could ultimately result in beneficial rain for many when considering the entire period.
Area forecast discussion, May 29, 5:14 PM CDT, 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
514 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- T-storms are possible (20-30%) this afternoon and Saturday
  afternoon and then each day from Monday through Thursday.

- Hot weather will return Saturday with highs in the 90s.

- There are small chances (20-30%) for thunderstorms each day
  next week; and this could ultimately result in beneficial
  rain for many when considering the entire period.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 105 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

A jet streak was approaching southwest Kansas today ahead of an
upper level trough over the Rockies. With increasing low level
moisture, surface heating and the lack of a strong capping
inversion, severe storms are possible with large hail this
evening. One round of storms will affect locations closer to the
OKlahoma state line after 4 pm while other storms will likely
move into far western Kansas later this evening. It is unclear
if these storms will form into organized clusters so
thunderstorm coverage is uncertain.

A closed low over the western United States will open up and
progress eastward through Saturday before gradually moving
northward thereafter. Thus, no strong frontal passages are
forecast. With the increased mid level westerlies, a dry line
is expected to set up along a line from WaKeeney to Dodge City
Saturday afternoon. A farther west location of the dry line is
favored rather than model solutions that push it into central
Kansas. Given the relatively cool mid level temperatures and hot
surface temperatures along the dry line, a few thunderstorms
will form and move eastward, with the best chances (20-30%) in
places like Larned, Pratt and Greensburg. Damaging wind gusts
and large hail are possible with the storms. Given the formation
of a capping inversion above the increasing low level moisture,
dewpoints will likely reach into the lower 70s ahead of the dry
line, leading to strong instability. The limiting factor on
hail size is the lack of shear between 500mb and anvil level,
which will reduce precipitation evacuation from the updrafts.

After a break Sunday, there are additional chances for t-storms
Monday and Tuesday along the southern periphery of the
aforementioned trough. Also, embedded disturbances along the
southern edge of the westerlies could help with larger scale
forcing. The storms Monday could also be severe with large hail
and damaging winds. Whether any evening t-storms Monday can
grow upscale into a large cluster and bring widespread overnight
rain Monday night remains to be seen; but locally heavy rains
are a possibility given the weak mid level flow. By Tuesday the
upper level flow weakens further, with the potential for storm
severity decreasing.

Even though 500mb heights will be relatively high mid next week,
the various ensemble means continue to indicate a weakness in
the height field somewhere across the central or southern
plains. This could serve to temper high temperatures (instead
of getting very hot) and also help keep low level moisture in
place across southwest Kansas instead of mixing it out in the
vertical. Although the potential for high end severe is very
low, the potential for locally heavy rain is higher due to slow
storm movement. Rain chances are low to moderate at any given
point at specific times; but much higher when considering that
there will be isolated to scattered t-storms each day in
different spots. And the various model ensemble means show
weekly rain amounts (this evening through mid next week) of 1"
in central Kansas and .5 to .75" across far western Kansas.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z SATURDAY/...
Issued at 511 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

Isolated to widely scattered thunderstorms developing across eastern
Colorado are expected to drift into west central Kansas and possibly
portions of southwest Kansas this evening, potentially affecting the
vicinity of KGCK and KHYS generally after 01-03Z. Another area of
thunderstorms developing in northwest Oklahoma will move northeast
into south central Kansas this evening, staying mainly east of KDDC.
Otherwise, VFR conditions will prevail in vicinity of all TAF sites
through late Saturday morning. Southerly winds around 10 to 20kt with
gusts up to 25kt are expected to persist through early Saturday as
lee side troughing remains anchored in eastern Colorado.

&&

.DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

DISCUSSION...Finch
AVIATION...JJohnson

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 29, 5:48 PM CDT, 6 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
548 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

KSZ090-292315-
Barber KS-
548 PM CDT Fri May 29 2026

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN BARBER COUNTY
THROUGH 615 PM CDT...

At 548 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a cluster of strong
thunderstorms along a line extending from 7 miles northwest of
Hardtner to near Burlington. Movement was northeast at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts of 50 to 55 mph and nickel size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

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

Strong thunderstorms will be near...
  Kiowa around 555 PM CDT.
  Hazelton around 600 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

&&

LAT...LON 3700 9871 3708 9883 3733 9860 3716 9835
      3700 9835
TIME...MOT...LOC 2248Z 203DEG 33KT 3709 9874 3689 9844

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...55 MPH

TATRO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 29, 5:48 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCBarber27 min
May 29, 6:08 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCEdwards37 min
May 29, 6:18 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCEdwards27 min
May 29, 6:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCBarber24 min
May 29, 6:28 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCHodgeman32 min
May 29, 6:44 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCEdwards46 min
May 29, 6:49 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDDCRush41 min
May 29, 6:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDDCEdwards, Pawnee, Stafford46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026

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.