Alert archive / Kansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 1, NWS Wichita, KS

April 26, 2026Labette County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this flash flood warning at Apr 26, 2026, 9:14 PM CDT for Labette County, Kansas. It was in force for 4 hr. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Apr 26, 2026, 9:14 PM CDT (02:14 UTC)
Expired
Apr 27, 2026, 1:15 AM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

County Labette County, KS

The radar

The Tulsa radar (KINX), 130 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:18 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 26, 9:47 PM CDTFLASH FLOODParsons, KSNumerous streets flooded with 4.41 inches measured in cocorahs gage.
Apr 26, 9:50 PM CDTRAIN 4.41Parsons, KSCocoRahs gaged report in the Parsons area.
Apr 26, 10:29 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD4 W Parsons, KSReport of a car washed off the road.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 2 storm reports to this flash flood warning; the first came 33 minutes after it went out.

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

Springfield, MO (KSGF), launched 00:00Z, 2.2 hours before the alert went out and 130 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, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2026-04-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1115 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, Springfield, MO at 00:00Z on 2026-04-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 128 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
1115 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-60 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1306 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
52 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
128 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
227 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
7.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

775 
WGUS53 KICT 270214
FFWICT
KSC099-270615-
/O.NEW.KICT.FF.W.0001.260427T0214Z-260427T0615Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Wichita KS
914 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Northern Labette County in southeastern Kansas...

* Until 115 AM CDT.

* At 914 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or 
  expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms
           producing flash flooding.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
           urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Parsons, Labette, Dennis, Big Hill Lake and Parsons Tri City 
  Airport.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Do not drive into flooded areas or go around barricades. Nearly two 
feet of water will carry most vehicles away. Turn around, don't 
drown.

&&

LAT...LON 3734 9508 3734 9507 3733 9508 3727 9508
      3726 9508 3724 9507 3719 9507 3724 9552
      3738 9552 3738 9543 3738 9508

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

Lawson
1 follow-up statement
113 
WGUS73 KICT 270357
FFSICT

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
1057 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

KSC099-270615-
/O.CON.KICT.FF.W.0001.000000T0000Z-260427T0615Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Labette KS-
1057 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 115 AM CDT MONDAY FOR 
NORTHERN LABETTE COUNTY...

At 1057 PM CDT, gauge reports indicated thunderstorms producing 
heavy rain across the warned area. Between 3 and 4.5 inches of rain 
have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

HAZARD...Life threatening flash flooding. Thunderstorms producing
         flash flooding.

SOURCE...Gauges reported.

IMPACT...Life threatening flash flooding of creeks and streams,
         urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Parsons, Dennis and Big Hill Lake.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Do not drive into flooded areas or go around barricades. Nearly two 
feet of water will carry most vehicles away. Turn around, don't 
drown.

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the 
dangers of flooding.

&&

LAT...LON 3726 9508 3729 9524 3732 9549 3738 9549
      3738 9543 3738 9526 3735 9516 3733 9509
      3732 9508 3727 9508

FLASH FLOOD...GAUGE INDICATED
FLASH FLOOD DAMAGE THREAT...CONSIDERABLE

$$

WI

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Apr 26, 6:51 PM CDT, 2 hours 23 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Severe storms likely late this afternoon through tonight with potentially significant severe hazards.
  • Mostly dry conditions and mild temperatures are expected for Monday through Wednesday with possible rain chances returning late Wednesday night into Thursday.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 26, 6:51 PM CDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Wichita KS
651 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Severe storms likely late this afternoon through tonight with
  potentially significant severe hazards.

- Mostly dry conditions and mild temperatures are expected for
  Monday through Wednesday with possible rain chances returning
  late Wednesday night into Thursday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 324 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

Currently there is an upper shortwave moving into the Central
Rockies. This shortwave will continue to move east and likely eject
into KS late tonight to early hours of Monday morning. At the
surface, a warm front is over eastern KS and extends down into
western OK with an additional warm front stretched across southern
Oklahoma. Severe storms are actively pushing through eastern
KS. Portions of central and south-central KS continue to see low
clouds and patchy fog. As we move into later this afternoon and
evening, clouds will start to clear in northern OK and into
southern KS as the warm front across southern OK continues to
push north. Instability will increase to values between
2500-3000+ J/kg as moisture advection persists. This instability
combined with around 50 kts of effective shear and mid-level
lapse rates around 7.5 C/km are sufficient for additional severe
storm development with potential to be surface based. Large to
very large hail will be possible along with damaging winds and a
potential tornado given the increasing low-level SRH with this
threat mainly across southern and southeast KS. Then as the
upper wave approaches later tonight, additional elevated
convection will be possible. Destabilization is expected to
continue combined with increased 0-6km bulk wind shear over
50kts, and very steep mid-level lapse rates. This activity would
mainly be a hail threat across northern KS into central KS and
is anticipated to continue to move into northeast KS during the
overnight to early morning hours of Monday.

Showers and storms could linger into Monday morning in northern KS
and northeast KS with drier air moving in behind a cold front late
Monday afternoon. Rich moisture looks to stay well south of our area
through Wednesday, resulting in a break of active weather to start
the week. Flow aloft will shift to more zonal by Monday night and
likely continue through much of the work week. Rain chances may
return to the forecast late Wednesday night into Thursday as model
soundings hint at elevated showers. Strong to severe thunderstorms
are not anticipated given the limited instability. Mild temperatures
are progged through most of the week with high temperatures closer
to normal with much of the area seeing highs in the upper 60s and
70s.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/...
Issued at 635 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

A few isolated severe storms have developed across southeastern
Kansas and will mainly impact CNU this evening. Additional
thunderstorms are expected to develop tonight and move east
across most of central and eastern Kansas possibly impacting
all of our TAF sites through late tonight. These storms will be
capable of producing large hail, gusty and erratic winds,
frequent lightning, and heavy rainfall. Behind the storms, low
ceilings will expand across central, south central, and
southeast Kansas. These low ceilings and patchy fog will persist
through the late morning hours before dissipating and returning
our TAF sites back to VFR conditions. Northwest winds will also
become breezy late tomorrow morning at all of our sites and
remain breezy through around sunset.

&&

.ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
None.

&&

DISCUSSION...GC
AVIATION...WI
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 26, 3:39 PM CDT, 5 hours 35 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Wichita KS
339 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-272045-
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-
339 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms will be possible this afternoon into this
evening across parts of southeast Kansas. Severe storms are
possible with up to tennis ball size hail, damaging winds up to 70
mph and potentially a tornado.

Meanwhile another round of thunderstorms is expected to develop
over western Kansas this evening. This activity will then move
east/northeast and looks to affect mainly central and south central
Kansas after 8 PM or 9 PM. There is some potential for significant
severe weather; very large hail around 2 inches in diameter,
damaging winds up to 70 mph, and a few tornadoes. A strong tornado
is possible across mainly south central and southern Kansas.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday

More thunderstorm chances are in the forecast from late Wednesday
night through Friday. Severe weather chances remain low for this
period.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed late this afternoon into tonight.

&&

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

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 26, 7:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
742 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0713 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     Sycamore                37.33N 95.72W
04/26/2026                   Montgomery         KS   Emergency Mngr

            time estimated from radar.

&&
Local storm report, Apr 26, 8:03 PM CDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
803 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0731 PM     Hail             1 NW Cherryvale         37.28N 95.57W
04/26/2026  E3.00 Inch       Montgomery         KS   Public

&&

ADK
Local storm report, Apr 26, 8:04 PM CDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
804 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0731 PM     Hail             5 W Parsons Tri City Ai 37.34N 95.60W
04/26/2026  M2.75 Inch       Montgomery         KS   Public

            Report from mPING: Baseball (2.75 in.).

&&
Local storm report, Apr 26, 8:06 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
806 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0755 PM     Tornado          5 ESE Cherryvale        37.25N 95.47W
04/26/2026                   Labette            KS   Trained Spotter

            A couple brief rope tornado touchdowns
            between 7:45pm and 8pm. Location estimated
            from radar.

&&

ADK
Local storm report, Apr 26, 8:29 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
829 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0826 PM     Hail             Longton                 37.38N 96.08W
04/26/2026  M1.00 Inch       Elk                KS   Fire Dept/Rescue

&&
Local storm report, Apr 26, 8:34 PM CDT, 40 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
834 PM CDT Sun Apr 26 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0832 PM     Tornado          Altamont                37.19N 95.29W
04/26/2026                   Labette            KS   911 Call Center

            report of tornado on the ground.

&&

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 26, 7:02 PM CDTTornado WarningICTMontgomery43 min
Apr 26, 7:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatICTLabette, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson15 min
Apr 26, 7:33 PM CDTTornado WarningICTLabette, Montgomery57 min
Apr 26, 8:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTWilson44 min
Apr 26, 8:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTElk23 min
Apr 26, 8:27 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningICTLabette12 hr
Apr 26, 8:29 PM CDTTornado WarningICTLabette46 min
Apr 26, 8:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatICTNeosho57 min
Apr 26, 8:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatICTWilson31 min
Apr 26, 9:05 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningICTNeosho12 hr
Apr 26, 9:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTLabette21 min
Apr 26, 9:19 PM CDTTornado WarningICTLabette14 min
Apr 26, 11:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTMcPherson, Marion, Saline58 min
Apr 26, 11:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTEllsworth, Lincoln, Saline62 min
Apr 27, 12:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatICTEllsworth, Lincoln, Saline72 min
Apr 27, 12:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTLincoln, Russell69 min
Apr 27, 12:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTCowley, Sumner25 min
Apr 27, 1:48 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTHarvey, Reno22 min
Apr 27, 1:57 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTLincoln18 min
Apr 27, 2:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSaline23 min
Apr 27, 2:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTAllen25 min
Apr 27, 2:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTAllen42 min
Apr 27, 2:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTAllen, Neosho, Wilson, Woodson24 min
Apr 27, 3:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTNeosho, Wilson50 min
Apr 27, 3:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTNeosho20 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kansas, 2026Every flash flood 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.