Kansas, 1997

High Wind in Kansas, December 30, 1997

December 30, 1997 · NWS SGF · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Strong low pressure over the mid Mississippi Valley produced sustained northwest winds of 30 to 50 mph across extreme southeast Kansas during the afternoon. The strongest winds were in Fort Scott, where a gust to 64 knots was recorded at the airport damaging an airplane hanger.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$6,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 SGF wrote it up.

Strong low pressure over the mid Mississippi Valley produced sustained northwest winds of 30 to 50 mph across extreme southeast Kansas during the afternoon. The strongest winds were in Fort Scott, where a gust to 64 knots was recorded at the airport damaging an airplane hanger. Two roofs along with many signs and trees were blown down in the Fort Scott area. Also, a few trees were downed by the winds in the Pittsburg area.

The radar

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

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Event by event

2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Bourbon

When
December 30, 1:35 PM CST
Where
Bourbon forecast zone
Measured
64 kt (74 mph)
Property damage
$6,000
Coordinates
37.855, -94.849 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

High Wind, Crawford

When
December 30, 2:00 PM CST
Where
Crawford forecast zone
Coordinates
37.507, -94.852 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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, December 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: 5622071, 5622072.