Flash Flooding and Hail in Kansas, July 20, 2000

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in Kansas, July 20, 2000
Start: 2000-07-20T02:53
End: 2000-07-20T07:35
Location: Kansas

July 20, 2000 · NWS ICT · 24 events in 8 counties and zones

19 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 2 flash flood, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 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: 0
Property damage: $420,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 24

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 Wichita radar (KICT), 91 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:52 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 2 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Reno

When: July 20, 2:53 AM CST
Where: Reno County, 3 mi NE of Sylvia
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.000, -98.383

Lightning, Harvey

When: July 20, 3:05 AM CST
Where: Harvey County, Burrton
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 38.043, -97.427 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

One transformer was struck and set afire as were numerous other transformers around Harvey County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harvey

When: July 20, 3:10 AM CST
Where: Harvey County, 1 mi E of Paxton
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.017, -97.567

Thunderstorm Wind, Harvey

When: July 20, 3:15 AM CST
Where: Harvey County, Halstead
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 38.000, -97.517

Widespread tree damage, including many uprooted. One tree, snapping in half at the base, fell onto a garage smashing the roof to "within inches" of a car parked inside. A large tree limb fell onto the northeast corner of a second house inflicting damage to the roof as well as to a fifth wheel trailer parked along side. Two other homes also had large branches and/or uprooted trees fall onto them. One fallen tree punched a hole in the roof of a Mennonite church.

Thunderstorm Wind, Harvey

When: July 20, 3:15 AM CST to 3:20 AM CST
Where: Harvey County, Newton
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 38.050, -97.350

Widespread tree and power line damage resulted in power losses to about 2,000 residences in and around Newton.

Lightning, Reno

When: July 20, 3:20 AM CST
Where: Reno County, Buhler
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.953, -98.086 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Minor damage inflicted to one residence when the lightning traveled thru wiring to an electrical outlet. A second lightning destroyed several hay bales just east of Buhler.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sedgwick

When: July 20, 3:35 AM CST
Where: Sedgwick County, Wichita
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 37.700, -97.333

Occurred at Mid-Continent Airport.

Thunderstorm Wind, Reno

When: July 20, 3:36 AM CST
Where: Reno County, Turon
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.800, -98.433

CO-OP observer reported 6-inch diameter tree limbs down. In addition, some trees fell onto power lines severing power to approximately 800 residences.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When: July 20, 3:40 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, Mulvane
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.483, -97.250

Trees blown down caused power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sedgwick

When: July 20, 3:41 AM CST
Where: Sedgwick County, Wichita
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.700, -97.333

Widespread tree and power line damage resulted in the loss of power to approximately 45,000 residences of 13,000 were without power the following evening. One large tree limb that was blown down smashed the left rear window of a van.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sedgwick

When: July 20, 3:58 AM CST
Where: Sedgwick County, Goddard
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 37.667, -97.583

KSN Channel 3 weather lab, Goddard Middle School.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When: July 20, 3:59 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, Mulvane
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 37.483, -97.250

KSN Channel 3 weather lab, Mulvane Elementary.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When: July 20, 4:11 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, Mulvane
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.483, -97.250

Tree limbs downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cowley

When: July 20, 4:13 AM CST
Where: Cowley County, Udall
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.383, -97.117

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When: July 20, 4:20 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, Belle Plaine
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.400, -97.233

Large tree fell onto a house, caving in part of it's roof.

Thunderstorm Wind, Butler

When: July 20, 4:20 AM CST
Where: Butler County, Augusta
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.683, -96.983

Damage to trees and power lines resulted in power losses to many residences. Area newspapers contributed to this report.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sedgwick

When: July 20, 4:30 AM CST
Where: Sedgwick County, Wichita
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: BROADCAST MEDIA
Coordinates: 37.700, -97.333

Radio Station KFDI reported tree damage at 13th and West St. intersection in West Wichita.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When: July 20, 4:38 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, Wellington
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.267, -97.400

Occurred at Wellington Lake.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When: July 20, 4:40 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, Wellington
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.267, -97.400

Tree damage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cowley

When: July 20, 4:40 AM CST
Where: Cowley County, Winfield
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.250, -96.983

Tree limbs 6-8 inches in diameter blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Sumner

When: July 20, 4:52 AM CST
Where: Sumner County, 8 mi SW of Perth
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.083, -97.600

Thunderstorm Wind, Chautauqua

When: July 20, 5:05 AM CST
Where: Chautauqua County, 3 mi N of Cedar Vale
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.150, -96.500

Several pieces of tin torn off a barn.

Flash Flood, Allen

When: July 20, 6:10 AM CST
Where: Allen County, Iola
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.886, -95.301 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

State Street closed in downtown Iola.

Flash Flood, Allen

When: July 20, 7:35 AM CST
Where: Allen County, Petrolia
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.886, -95.301 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

County road between Petrolia and Humboldt flooded.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
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.
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

Every storm in Kansas in 2000 Every state in 2000 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, July 2000

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: 5152447, 5152816, 5152509, 5152813, 5152815, 5152814, 5152441, 5152444, 5152435, 5152510, 5152511, 5152512, 5152810, 5152811, 5152437, 5152812, 5152442, 5152445, 5152436, 5152443, 5152446, 5152438, 5152439, 5152440.