Kansas, 1997

Flooding in Kansas, April 11 to 14, 1997

April 11 to 14, 1997 · NWS TOP · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

Widespread moderate to heavy rain of 1 to 3 inches which fell in northeast and east central kansas, followed by runoff from melting snow in north central kansas caused several rivers to overflow their banks. Most of the flooding was minor with some localized areas of more moderate low land flooding.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
10

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS TOP wrote it up.

Widespread moderate to heavy rain of 1 to 3 inches which fell in northeast and east central kansas, followed by runoff from melting snow in north central kansas caused several rivers to overflow their banks. Most of the flooding was minor with some localized areas of more moderate low land flooding. Several roads were flooding including Highway K-99 over the Cottonwood river at Emporia, 86th street near the Soldier Creek at Delia and NW 39th street near the Cross Creek in Rossville. Other towns that experience flooding were Dunlap along the Rock Creek and Valley Falls along the Delaware River.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Anderson

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Anderson forecast zone
Coordinates
38.214, -95.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Douglas

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Douglas forecast zone
Coordinates
38.885, -95.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Franklin

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Franklin forecast zone
Coordinates
38.565, -95.286 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Jefferson

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Jefferson forecast zone
Coordinates
39.236, -95.383 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Lyon

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Lyon forecast zone
Coordinates
38.456, -96.153 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Marshall

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Marshall forecast zone
Coordinates
39.784, -96.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Morris

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Morris forecast zone
Coordinates
38.687, -96.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Osage

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Osage forecast zone
Coordinates
38.652, -95.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Shawnee

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Shawnee forecast zone
Coordinates
39.042, -95.756 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Wabaunsee

When
April 11, 3:00 AM CST to April 14, 7:00 PM CST
Where
Wabaunsee forecast zone
Coordinates
38.953, -96.205 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Kansas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, April 1997

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: 5594283, 5594284, 5594285, 5594286, 5594287, 5594288, 5594289, 5594290, 5594291, 5594292.