Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, October 31, 2000

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, October 31, 2000
Start: 2000-10-31T15:10
End: 2000-10-31T18:15
Location: Kansas

October 31, 2000 · NWS GLD · 30 events in 9 counties and zones

17 hail, 11 tornado, 2 funnel cloud, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 30

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 Goodland radar (KGLD), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:08 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 hail, 11 tornado, 2 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Thomas

When: October 31, 3:10 PM CST
Where: Thomas County, 2 mi E of Mingo
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 39.283, -100.933

Hail, Thomas

When: October 31, 3:13 PM CST
Where: Thomas County, 1 mi N of Mingo
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 39.300, -100.967

Tornado, Wallace

When: October 31, 2:15 PM MST to 2:32 PM MST
Where: Wallace County, 14 mi NNW of Weskan
Rating: F1
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 225 yd
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.050, -102.067

Large tornado as it approached Wallace-Sherman County Line. A few utility poles were ripped out by tornado before it moved into Sherman County.

Tornado, Thomas

When: October 31, 3:16 PM CST
Where: Thomas County, 5 mi E of Mingo
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 39.283, -100.867

Brief tornado that caused no damage.

Hail, Thomas

When: October 31, 3:24 PM CST
Where: Thomas County, 3 mi SE of Gem
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.400, -100.867

Tornado, Sherman

When: October 31, 2:32 PM MST to 2:51 PM MST
Where: Sherman County, 14 mi SSW of Ruleton
Rating: F2
Path length: 7 mi
Path width: 250 yd
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.150, -101.983

Tornado destroyed abandoned house and garage as it entered southwest Sherman County from Wallace County. Tornado also ripped out utility poles and trees. It was likely the widest just after crossing the county line, and was briefly described as an "elephant trunk" tornado by storm spotters.

Hail, Sherman

When: October 31, 2:37 PM MST
Where: Sherman County, 14 mi S of Kanorado
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.133, -102.033

Hail, Sherman

When: October 31, 2:48 PM MST
Where: Sherman County, 2 mi W of Ruleton
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.333, -101.917

Tornado, Thomas

When: October 31, 3:53 PM CST to 3:54 PM CST
Where: Thomas County, 4 mi N of Rexford
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 39.517, -100.750

Tornado developed near Thomas-Sheridan County Line, then moved into Sheridan County. No damage reported.

Tornado, Sheridan

When: October 31, 3:54 PM CST to 3:59 PM CST
Where: Sheridan County, 6 mi W of Selden
Rating: F0
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.533, -100.683

Tornado moved through extreme northwest corner of Sheridan County. The tornado traveled from Thomas County, then quickly exited into Decatur County.

Tornado, Sherman

When: October 31, 2:54 PM MST
Where: Sherman County, 5 mi S of Ruleton
Rating: F1
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.267, -101.883

Tornado touched down on farmstead and took off the roof of a sheep barn, flipped a trailer, destroyed a small buildings, and broke some windows. In addition, the tornado tore out trees, fences, and a utility pole. No one was injured at the residence.

Tornado, Decatur

When: October 31, 3:59 PM CST to 4:05 PM CST
Where: Decatur County, 19 mi SSW of Oberlin
Rating: F0
Path length: 2.5 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.567, -100.650

Tornado that had developed near the Thomas-Sheridan County Line dissipated shortly after entering southwest Decatur County. No damage noted along its path.

Hail, Sherman

When: October 31, 3:00 PM MST
Where: Sherman County, 1 mi W of Ruleton
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.333, -101.900

Hail, Decatur

When: October 31, 4:00 PM CST
Where: Decatur County, 14 mi SW of Oberlin
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.683, -100.700

Tornado, Sherman

When: October 31, 3:01 PM MST to 3:02 PM MST
Where: Sherman County, 3 mi NNW of Caruso
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Reported by: STORM CHASER
Coordinates: 39.367, -101.800

Brief tornado in open field causing no damage.

Funnel Cloud, Decatur

When: October 31, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Decatur County, Oberlin
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.785, -100.460 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Funnel sighted just above town.

Hail, Cheyenne

When: October 31, 4:20 PM CST
Where: Cheyenne County, 12 mi S of Wheeler
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.600, -101.717

Tornado, Decatur

When: October 31, 4:38 PM CST to 4:43 PM CST
Where: Decatur County, 8 mi NE of Oberlin
Rating: F1
Path length: 4 mi
Path width: 125 yd
Reported by: STORM CHASER
Coordinates: 39.900, -100.417

Tornado tore off several roofs, including a patio, machine shed, and calf barn. Tornado lifted shortly before crossing the State Line.

Hail, Logan

When: October 31, 4:48 PM CST
Where: Logan County, 4 mi W of Oakley
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.133, -100.917

Hail, Cheyenne

When: October 31, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Cheyenne County, 5 mi N of Wheeler
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.833, -101.717

Hail, Greeley

When: October 31, 4:15 PM MST
Where: Greeley County, 9 mi E of Tribune
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.467, -101.583

Hail, Wallace

When: October 31, 4:20 PM MST
Where: Wallace County, 2 mi NW of Wallace
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.933, -101.617

Hail, Logan

When: October 31, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Logan County, 8 mi NW of Mc Allaster
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.083, -101.500

Hail, Cheyenne

When: October 31, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Cheyenne County, 12 mi N of Bird City
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 39.917, -101.533

Hail, Sherman

When: October 31, 4:31 PM MST
Where: Sherman County, 12 mi SSE of Edson
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.167, -101.467

Hail, Thomas

When: October 31, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Thomas County, 5 mi SE of Brewster
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.317, -101.317

Tornado, Sherman

When: October 31, 4:49 PM MST
Where: Sherman County, 3 mi E of Edson
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.3 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.333, -101.500

Brief tornado crossed Interstate 70, and was also sighted by Law Enforcement.

Funnel Cloud, Thomas

When: October 31, 5:50 PM CST
Where: Thomas County, Brewster
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 39.351, -101.055 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Funnel spotted from Brewster, but was likely located across county line.

Hail, Thomas

When: October 31, 5:51 PM CST
Where: Thomas County, Levant
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 39.383, -101.200

Tornado, Rawlins

When: October 31, 6:15 PM CST
Where: Rawlins County, 12 mi S of Atwood
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.7 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 39.633, -101.050

Brief tornado turned over grain trailers, broke tractor windows, moved a concrete wall, and tore out a garage door. No one was injured on the farmstead.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.

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 The tornado archive for Kansas, 2000 Warnings in Kansas, October 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: 5160678, 5160677, 5160692, 5160679, 5160913, 5160693, 5160684, 5160914, 5160689, 5160688, 5160916, 5160687, 5160681, 5160690, 5160680, 5160906, 5160915, 5160694, 5160907, 5160908, 5160910, 5160909, 5160682, 5160911, 5160912, 5160683, 5160691, 5160686, 5160685, 5160917.