Hail, Smith
- When
- May 4, 11:54 AM CST
- Where
- Smith County, 8 mi N of Smith Center
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 39.900, -98.780
Flash Flooding and Hail in Kansas, May 4, 1999
Scattered thunderstorms produced hail and torrential rainfall across parts of north-central Kansas during the midday hours. While dime size hail was reported, it was the heavy rain which caused most of the problems.
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
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $30,000
- Crop damage
- $150,000
- Events
- 3
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 GID wrote it up.
Scattered thunderstorms produced hail and torrential rainfall across parts of north-central Kansas during the midday hours. While dime size hail was reported, it was the heavy rain which caused most of the problems. As much as 4.5 inches of rain fell in one hour north of Smith Center. Roads were under at least 8 inches of water southeast of Athol and 12 miles north of Kensington. Most of the rain fell across the rural areas of northern Smith county and some bridges and roads were washed out or damaged.
The radar
The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:51 UTC.
Event by event
2 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash Flood, Smith
- When
- May 4, 1:03 PM CST to 5:00 PM CST
- Where
- Smith County, 2 mi SE of Athol
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Crop damage
- $75,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.785, -98.785 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flash Flood, Smith
- When
- May 4, 1:25 PM CST to 5:30 PM CST
- Where
- Smith County, 12 mi N of Kensington
- Property damage
- $15,000
- Crop damage
- $75,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.785, -98.785 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornado in Texas, May 4, 1999
- Tornado in Texas, May 4, 1999
- Tornado in Arkansas, May 4, 1999
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Arkansas, May 4, 1999
- Tornado in Texas, May 4, 1999
- Tornado in Missouri, May 4, 1999
- Tornado in Texas, May 4, 1999
- Flash Flooding in Missouri, May 4 to 5, 1999
- Tornado in Texas, May 4, 1999
- Tornado in Texas, May 4, 1999
- Tornado in Texas, May 4, 1999
- Tornado in Arkansas, May 4, 1999
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: 5699313, 5699314, 5699315.