Kansas, 1993

Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, May 8, 1993

May 8, 1993 · 34 events in 14 counties and zones

25 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 3 tornado, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 31 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
3
Property damage
$10 million
Crop damage
$26,000
Events
34

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:46 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

25 thunderstorm wind, 6 hail, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Comanche

When
May 8, 12:05 AM CST
Where
Comanche County, Coldwater
Measured
1 in hail
Coordinates
37.191, -99.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Comanche

When
May 8, 12:40 AM CST
Where
Comanche County, Coldwater
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
37.191, -99.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Comanche

When
May 8, 12:55 AM CST
Where
Comanche County to Coldwater
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
37.191, -99.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Sumner

When
May 8, 1:16 AM CST
Where
Sumner County, Caldwell
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.237, -97.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Kiowa

When
May 8, 1:19 AM CST
Where
Kiowa County, Haviland
Measured
57 kt (66 mph)
Coordinates
37.558, -99.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Sumner

When
May 8, 1:30 AM CST
Where
Sumner County, Wellington
Measured
1 in hail
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.237, -97.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail an inch in diameter fell, but it resulted in only minor damage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Johnson

When
May 8, 1:45 AM CST
Where
Johnson County, Olathe
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
38.884, -94.822 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A barn and power lines were blown down at 175th Street and Ridgeview.

Thunderstorm Wind, Johnson

When
May 8, 2:00 AM CST
Where
Johnson County, Overland Park
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
38.884, -94.822 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Large trees were blown down at 79th Street and Grant.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When
May 8, 7:20 AM CST
Where
Sumner County, Wellington
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
37.237, -97.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Cowley

When
May 8, 7:30 AM CST
Where
Cowley County, Arkansasa City
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Injuries
3 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$5.0 million
Crop damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.238, -96.837 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Arkansas City was hit with winds greater than 80 miles an hour. Four mobile homes were destroyed, four had major damage and another six received minor damage. A mobile home was also destroyed five miles east of town. Three people suffered minor injuries. One site-built home was also destroyed and 30 others had damage. Major damage was centered in the 700 and 800 blocks of 6th, 7th and 8th Streets. Estimated damage in Arkansas City totalled nearly $1 million.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cowley

When
May 8, 7:35 AM CST
Where
Cowley County, Geuda Springs
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.238, -96.837 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Cowley

When
May 8, 7:43 AM CST
Where
Cowley County, Arkansas City
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.238, -96.837 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Cowley

When
May 8, 7:44 AM CST
Where
Cowley County, Silverdale
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.238, -96.837 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Cowley

When
May 8, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Cowley County, New Salem
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
37.238, -96.837 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Event began on 5/8/93 and ended on 5/15/93. Heavy rains faling over already saturated ground caused maily low land and agricultural flooking along the Smoky Hill River and Chapman Creek. These conditions persisted for several days which kept water levels kept water levels above flood stage. Most of the damage was agricultural but persons living along the Smoky Hill River and Chapman Creek had to be evacuated and damage was done to their homes. Many county roads were underwater and had to be closed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cowley

When
May 8, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Cowley County, Udall
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.238, -96.837 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Sedgwick

When
May 8, 8:00 AM CST
Where
Sedgwick County, Mulvane
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.685, -97.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Butler

When
May 8, 8:07 AM CST
Where
Butler County, Douglass
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.781, -96.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Butler

When
May 8, 8:10 AM CST
Where
Butler County, El Dorado
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage
$5.0 million
Coordinates
37.781, -96.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

El Dorado was also hit hard with thunderstorm winds greater than 80 miles an hour. Twenty homes on the west side of tow sustained superficial damage. The marina at El Dorado Lake was damaged. Total damage was estimated at $500,000.

Thunderstorm Wind, Chautauqua

When
May 8, 8:12 AM CST
Where
Chautauqua County, Wauneta
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.150, -96.245 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Chautauqua

When
May 8, 8:15 AM CST
Where
Chautauqua County, Sedan
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.150, -96.245 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Butler

When
May 8, 8:20 AM CST
Where
Butler County, Augusta
Measured
0.75 in hail
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.781, -96.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Butler

When
May 8, 8:20 AM CST
Where
Butler County to Augusta
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.781, -96.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Elk

When
May 8, 8:30 AM CST
Where
Elk County, Moline
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.454, -96.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Elk

When
May 8, 8:30 AM CST
Where
Elk County, Elk Falls
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.454, -96.244 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Butler

When
May 8, 8:30 AM CST
Where
Butler County, Augusta
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.781, -96.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Chautauqua

When
May 8, 8:30 AM CST
Where
Chautauqua County, Wauneta
Measured
63 kt (72 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.150, -96.245 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Butler

When
May 8, 8:37 AM CST
Where
Butler County, Leon
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.781, -96.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenwood

When
May 8, 8:45 AM CST
Where
Greenwood County, Eureka
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.878, -96.233 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Wilson

When
May 8, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Wilson County, Buffalo
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.559, -95.743 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A line of thunderstorms packing winds in excess of 70 miles an hour crossed south-central Kansas. The winds caused widespread damage to trees and power lines and scattered structural damage to outbuildings and homes. The winds hit that section of south-central Kansas east of Wellington to Wichita to El Dorado. They finally settled down by the time the storms had moved east to an Iola to Chanute to Coffeyville line. Other significant damage included outbuildings destroyed at two locations southeast of Wellington and west of Moline.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lyon

When
May 8, 9:14 AM CST
Where
Lyon County, Emporia Arpt
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
38.456, -96.153 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Coffey

When
May 8, 9:49 AM CST
Where
Coffey County, Gridley
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
38.237, -95.734 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Tornado, Smith

When
May 8, 2:46 PM CST to 3:02 PM CST
Where
Smith County, Smith Center
Rating
F0
Path length
2.5 mi
Path width
75 yd
Property damage
$5,000
Crop damage
$5,000
Coordinates
39.800, -98.780

This tornado touched down over open county and remained over open country until it dissipated.

Tornado, Smith

When
May 8, 2:51 PM CST to 2:53 PM CST
Where
Smith County to Smith Center
Rating
F0
Path length
0.3 mi
Path width
25 yd
Property damage
$500
Crop damage
$500
Coordinates
39.730, -98.850

This tornado briefly touched down in a field and then dissipated.

Tornado, Smith

When
May 8, 3:12 PM CST to 3:16 PM CST
Where
Smith County, Thornburg
Rating
F1
Path length
2 mi
Path width
50 yd
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
$5,000
Coordinates
39.950, -98.780

This tornado touched down in the Thornburg area and damaged a church before moving out across open country and dissipating.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Kansas in 1993Every state in 1993This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kansas, 1993Warnings in Kansas, May 1993

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10323172, 10323173, 10323174, 10325785, 10326810, 10325786, 10326749, 10326910, 10325787, 10324414, 10324415, 10324416, 10324417, 10324418, 10324419, 10325679, 10323830, 10323831, 10324004, 10324005, 10323832, 10323833, 10323361, 10323362, 10323834, 10324006, 10323835, 10326470, 10325519, 10326894, 10323163, 10325372, 10325373, 10325374.