Kansas, 1999

Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 16, 1999

May 16, 1999 · NWS DDC · 47 events in 14 counties and zones

39 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$4.4 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
47

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 national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

39 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Barber

When
May 16, 6:25 PM CST
Where
Barber County, 8 mi NW of Hardtner
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.100, -98.750

Hail, Barber

When
May 16, 6:50 PM CST
Where
Barber County, 10 mi S of Medicine Lodge
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
37.130, -98.580

Hail, Barber

When
May 16, 7:33 PM CST
Where
Barber County, 5 mi S of Medicine Lodge
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
37.220, -98.580

Hail, Hamilton

When
May 16, 7:36 PM CST
Where
Hamilton County, Syracuse to 21 mi NW of Syracuse
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
AIRPLANE PILOT
Coordinates
38.180, -102.020

Reported by a pilot on the ground.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton

When
May 16, 8:00 PM CST
Where
Hamilton County, 18 mi N of Syracuse
Property damage
$2,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
38.250, -101.750

Power poles down across highway 27.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton

When
May 16, 8:05 PM CST
Where
Hamilton County, 12 mi N of Kendall
Measured
69 kt (79 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.100, -101.550

Hail, Comanche

When
May 16, 8:07 PM CST
Where
Comanche County, 22 mi SE of Coldwater
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
37.030, -99.050

Hail, Hamilton

When
May 16, 8:30 PM CST
Where
Hamilton County, 9 mi NNW of Coolidge
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$30,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.150, -102.070

Swath of hail and high wind across the northern 1/4 of the county produced $30,000 damage to property. Damage was also done to crops. Do not have dollar figure available.

Hail, Kearny

When
May 16, 8:40 PM CST
Where
Kearny County, 14 mi N of Deerfield
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.180, -101.130

Window broken out a car.

Hail, Scott

When
May 16, 8:42 PM CST
Where
Scott County, 2 mi S of Modoc
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.450, -101.080

Hail, Comanche

When
May 16, 8:45 PM CST
Where
Comanche County, Coldwater to 18 mi SE of Coldwater
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
37.070, -99.100

Hail, Scott

When
May 16, 8:50 PM CST
Where
Scott County, Scott City
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.480, -100.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When
May 16, 8:50 PM CST
Where
Scott County, Scott City
Measured
71 kt (82 mph)
Property damage
$1.6 million
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
38.480, -100.900

Swath of large hail and high wind across the county produced $1.55 million in damage to property. Extensive damage was also done to crops. In Scott City, a roof was blown off; a camper was blown 30 feet and a shed was blown down.

Hail, Finney

When
May 16, 8:56 PM CST
Where
Finney County, Friend to 4 mi W of Friend
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
38.250, -100.980

Hail, Lane

When
May 16, 9:12 PM CST
Where
Lane County, 1 mi W of Dighton
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
38.480, -100.480

Hail, Lane

When
May 16, 9:15 PM CST
Where
Lane County, Dighton
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.480, -100.470

Hail, Lane

When
May 16, 9:20 PM CST
Where
Lane County, Shields
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.620, -100.450

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 9:30 PM CST
Where
Ness County, Ransom
Measured
2.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.630, -99.930

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 9:32 PM CST
Where
Ness County, 7 mi SSW of Utica
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.550, -100.220

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 9:35 PM CST
Where
Ness County, 20 mi NNW of Ness City
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.720, -100.050

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 9:42 PM CST
Where
Ness County, Ness City
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.450, -99.900

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 9:43 PM CST
Where
Ness County, 2 mi E of Utica
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.650, -100.130

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Ness County, Utica
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.650, -100.170

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Ness County, Utica
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.650, -100.170

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Ness County, 9 mi SW of Ness City
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.350, -100.020

Also had 79 mph wind which broke the equipment and the hail broke out windows.

Thunderstorm Wind, Ness

When
May 16, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Ness County, 9 mi SW of Ness City
Measured
69 kt (79 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.350, -100.020

Hail, Comanche

When
May 16, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Comanche County, 2 mi S of Protection
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
37.170, -99.480

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 9:53 PM CST
Where
Ness County, 1 mi N of Ransom
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.650, -99.930

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 10:00 PM CST
Where
Ness County, 9 mi SSE of Ness City
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.330, -99.830

Hail, Ness

When
May 16, 10:05 PM CST
Where
Ness County, 3 mi NW of Brownell
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.650, -99.770

Also had 60 mph wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Ness

When
May 16, 10:05 PM CST
Where
Ness County, 3 mi NW of Brownell
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage
$200,000
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.650, -99.770

Two separate swaths of hail moved through the county. The first was in a 7 to 12 mile wide swath from 2 miles south of Utica...to Arnold...Ransom...Brownell...and McCracken. The second swath was from 2 miles south of Beeler...to 4 miles south of Ness City...to 3 miles south of Bazine. A dollar amount was not made available...but crops were nearly completely wiped out in the hail swaths and numerous windows were broken out in automobiles and homes.

Hail, Trego

When
May 16, 10:05 PM CST
Where
Trego County, 22 mi S of Wakeeney
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.700, -99.880

Hail, Pawnee

When
May 16, 10:15 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County, 28 mi WNW of Larned
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.330, -99.580

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When
May 16, 10:15 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County, 28 mi WNW of Larned
Measured
58 kt (67 mph)
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.330, -99.580

Hail, Trego

When
May 16, 10:15 PM CST
Where
Trego County, 17 mi S of Riga
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.700, -99.630

Hail, Rush

When
May 16, 10:20 PM CST
Where
Rush County, Alexander
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.470, -99.550

Hail, Ellis

When
May 16, 10:20 PM CST
Where
Ellis County, 8 mi S of Ellis
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.820, -99.550

Lasted 20 minutes

Hail, Rush

When
May 16, 10:30 PM CST
Where
Rush County, La Crosse
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
38.530, -99.300

Hail, Rush

When
May 16, 10:30 PM CST
Where
Rush County, Rush Center
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.470, -99.300

Hail, Pawnee

When
May 16, 10:35 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County, 10 mi NW of Larned
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$100,000
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.280, -99.230

$100,000 in damage across the county.

Hail, Ford

When
May 16, 10:40 PM CST
Where
Ford County, Wright
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
37.780, -99.880

Hail, Rush

When
May 16, 10:45 PM CST
Where
Rush County, Rush Center
Measured
1.75 in hail
Property damage
$2.5 million
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.470, -99.300

Widespread severe weather continued from eastern Colorado, spreading across Rush county during the midnight hour. One person escaped injury by crawling out of bed! Golf ball size hail driven by 70 mph wind smashed through the window and window blind and passed by a man's head as he lay in bed. After the event, hail and glass shreds covered the bed. Loss to wildlife and some livestock across the county was heavy. There was a report of several dead cattle and many injured cow and horses. One-hundred thousand acres of wheat were mowed down, 3,500 acres of corn damaged and 4,000 acres of alfalfa destroyed (first cutting). $480,000 in damage was done to farm equipment across the county (included in the $2.48m)

Thunderstorm Wind, Rush

When
May 16, 10:45 PM CST
Where
Rush County, 2 mi SW of Timken
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
38.450, -99.220

Hail, Pawnee

When
May 16, 10:50 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County, 12 mi N of Larned
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
38.350, -99.100

Hail, Pawnee

When
May 16, 11:05 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County, Larned to 6 mi NNW of Larned
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.250, -99.150

Had 70 mph wind too.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pawnee

When
May 16, 11:05 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County, Larned to 6 mi NNW of Larned
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
38.250, -99.150

Hail, Stafford

When
May 16, 11:25 PM CST
Where
Stafford County, 8 mi N of Hudson
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.220, -98.670

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.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Kansas in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, May 1999

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: 5701871, 5701872, 5701873, 5701874, 5701875, 5701876, 5701877, 5701878, 5701879, 5701880, 5701881, 5701882, 5701883, 5701884, 5701885, 5701886, 5701887, 5702111, 5701888, 5701889, 5701983, 5701984, 5701890, 5701985, 5701986, 5701987, 5701988, 5701989, 5701990, 5701991, 5701992, 5701993, 5701994, 5701995, 5701996, 5701997, 5701998, 5701999, 5702000, 5702001, and more.