Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, April 10 to 11, 2001

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, April 10 to 11, 2001
Start: 2001-04-10T22:35
End: 2001-04-11T00:25
Location: Kansas

April 10 to 11, 2001 · NWS GID · 17 events in 6 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 1
Property damage: $1.4 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 17

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.

Strong thunderstorms just north of a warm front moved into north-central Kansas. Despite the late hour of the day, cooler temperatures and foggy conditions, these thunderstorms began to rotate and produced several tornadoes across the area. The first tornado developed in southwest Rooks county near Palco and lifted just south of Webster Lake. One farmstead was hit with damage sustained to outbuildings, trees and farm equipment. The next twister entered Rooks county from Ellis county south of Plainville. This tornado hit a farmstead on the south side of Plainville and traveled northeast through the cemetery and then on to rural areas of eastern Rooks county. The farmstead sustained damage to outbuildings and trees. The home was spared from major damage. Another weak tornado started on the south side of Plainville and traveled up US highway 183 and then northeast to a modular home manufacturing plant. Several homes in production were damaged. Other homes along the path had roof or window damage. Three other tornadoes occurred in Osborne county. The first, on the west side of the county, damaged outbuildings and trees along its 9 mile path. A short lived tornado near the junction of US highway 24 and Kansas Highway 181 hit an abandoned gas station. Old tanks and concrete blocks were littered about for nearly a mile to the northeast. The last tornado in the county started southwest of Downs and traveled northeast. It hit one farmstead on the west side of Downs causing damage to various outbuildings and farm machinery. This twister continued northeast and entered extreme southeast Smith county and then into southwest Jewell county. Before lifting, the tornado hit the parsonage of the Dispatch church, causing roof and wall damage to the home. Other weak tornadoes were noted in Smith and Jewell counties with minor damage noted to power poles and trees. Some other reports indicated that some hail and strong winds accompanied these storms.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 10, 12:45 PM CST, 9 hours 50 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 10, 12:45 PM CST, 9 hours 50 minutes before

SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA/NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
145 PM CDT TUE APR 10 2001

...TSRA POTENTIAL THE NEXT 24 HRS IS THE MAIN CONCERN...

SMALL...BUT RELATIVELY POTENT...BATCH OF TSRAS PRODUCED SVR WX ACROSS
THE MIDDLE OF CWA THIS MORNING. THIS CLUSTER EFFECTIVELY PUSHED INVERTED
SFC TROF SOUTH TO NEAR THE NEB/KS BORDER...AT LEAST IN OUR CWA. FURTHER
SOUTH...WARM FRONT IS LIFTING THRU CNTRL KS W/ M60 DWPTS AS FAR NORTH AS
TOP/SLN. PLENTY OF TSRA ACTIVITY IN WARM SECTOR IN ERN KS...W/ WEAKER
RETURNS INTO OUR 6 NC CNTYS. AS WARM LIFTS INTO INVERTED TROF...EXPECT
TSRAS TO BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD LATE THIS AFTN INTO EVENING. THE BEST
POTENTIAL FOR SVR WX WILL BE OVER NC KS...BUT WILL ALSO WORK NORTH THRU
NEB CNTYS AS STRONG OVERRUNNING OF COOL SFC AIR TAKES PLACE TONIGHT W/
THE APPROACH OF POTENT UPPER LVL SYS CURRENTLY INDICATED CLEARING ON WV
IN AZ. EVENTUALLY EXPECT COOL LLVL AIR TO BE DISPLACED NORTH AS WELL
OVER MOST OF CWA.

WILL FOLLOW ETA W/ ITS SLIGHTLY BETTER HANDING OF LLVL MOISTURE INFLUX
W/ THE CAVIOT THAT IT DID NOT ANTICIPATE THE SWRD PUSH OF SFC TROF BY
AM TSRAS. REALLY...FCST PLAYS OUT ABOUT THE SAME USING ALL THE MDLS W/
BASIC SCENARIO OF TSRAS INCREASING IN COVERAGE THRU NC KS THIS AFTN &
SPREADING THRU NEB CNTYS THIS EVENING...SOME DRY SLOTTING OVERNIGHT...
THEN THE UPPER LO LIFTS NE OVER CWA TOMR...W/ POTENTIAL FOR SVR WX...
INCLUDING TORNADOS INTO EARLY AFTN...WHEN SYS PASSES NE AND A STRONG W
TO NW WIND DRIES THINGS OUT. WHEN ALL THINGS ARE SAID AND DONE...ONLY
NEED TO TWEEK CURRENT FCST. WILL HAVE TO REWORD TEMPS TONIGHT AS 40S
IN PLACE OVER MUCH OF NRN/CNTRL CWA WILL BE REPLACED BY 50S TONIGHT.
WILL UP TEMPS TOMR AS WELL...ESP SE 1/2 OF CWA BASED ON PROGGED TRACK
OF SFC LO AND SOUTH WINDS FCST THRU EARLY AFTN.

AS FOR EXTENDED...WONT PLAY W/ MUCH. AS PER PMDEPD...SOME DIFFICULTY
W/ NEXT WAVE THAT DROPS IN BEHIND CURRENT SYS. I AM INCLINED TO LEAVE
FCST DRY. I EXPECT 2ND SYS TO HAVE ALOT OF TROUBLE MAINTAINING ITSELF
AS IT WORKS EAST INTO CONFLUENT FLOW LEFT IN BEHIND CURRENT BIG STORM.
OTHERWISE...A TREND TOWARD WARMER WX BY WEEKEND AFTER COOLER READINGS
INVADE LATE WED INTO THU IN WAKE OF AZ UPPER LO.

.GID...NONE.

GURNEY

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 10, 4:35 PM CST, 6 hours before

KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087-110230-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK - SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA/NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
535 PM CDT TUE APR 10 2001

...SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND
NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS TONIGHT...

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTH
CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS TONIGHT.  UNTIL 8
PM...MOST AREAS WILL SEE PERIODS OF DRIZZLE OR LIGHT RAIN AND PATCHY
FOG.  A FEW THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE...MAINLY IN AREAS EAST
OF HIGHWAY 281.

AFTER 8 PM...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE
IN COVERAGE AS A POTENT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM LIFTS OUT OF THE
SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES INTO WESTERN KANSAS.  THE STORMS WILL
DEVELOP AND SPREAD ACROSS KANSAS...AND THEN REACH NEBRASKA AS
THEY RAPIDLY TRACK NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MPH. THE STORMS MAY BECOME
SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

THE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL CONTINUE DURING THE DAY ON
WEDNESDAY.  THE INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO
ADVANCE NORTHEAST INTO NEBRASKA WEDNESDAY...AND THEN EXIT
INTO IOWA WEDNESDAY NIGHT.  IN ADDITION TO POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE
WEATHER WEDNESDAY...EXPECT VERY WINDY CONDITIONS BY LATE IN THE DAY
AS WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST AND GUST TO 45 MPH.

LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS AND SPOTTER GROUPS ACROSS
SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY TONIGHT...AND
BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION.

FAY

Local storm report, Apr 10, 7:37 PM CST, 2 hours 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
837 PM CDT TUE APR 10 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....
R
0818 PM    ROCKVILLE                 NE    .75 INCH HAIL
04/10/01   SHERMAN

0830 PM    3 WNW FARWELL             NE    1 INCH HAIL
04/10/01   HOWARD

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

11 tornado, 4 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Rooks

When: April 10, 10:35 PM CST to 10:50 PM CST
Where: Rooks County, 5 mi S of Palco
Rating: F1
Path length: 14 mi
Path width: 300 yd
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.183, -99.567

Tornado, Rooks

When: April 10, 10:38 PM CST to 10:55 PM CST
Where: Rooks County, 8 mi SW of Plainville
Rating: F1
Path length: 20 mi
Path width: 400 yd
Property damage: $600,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.150, -99.400

Tornado, Rooks

When: April 10, 10:45 PM CST to 10:50 PM CST
Where: Rooks County, 1 mi S of Plainville
Rating: F0
Path length: 3 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Injuries: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.217, -99.300

Hail, Rooks

When: April 10, 10:45 PM CST
Where: Rooks County, Palco
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.250, -99.567

Tornado, Osborne

When: April 10, 11:05 PM CST to 11:20 PM CST
Where: Osborne County, 8 mi N of Natoma
Rating: F1
Path length: 9 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.300, -99.017

Thunderstorm Wind, Osborne

When: April 10, 11:18 PM CST
Where: Osborne County, 6 mi W of Alton
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.467, -99.067

Hail, Phillips

When: April 10, 11:20 PM CST
Where: Phillips County, 5 mi W of Phillipsburg
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.750, -99.417

Tornado, Smith

When: April 10, 11:24 PM CST to 11:35 PM CST
Where: Smith County, 3 mi SW of Gaylord
Rating: F1
Path length: 4 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $75,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.617, -98.883

Tornado, Osborne

When: April 10, 11:25 PM CST to 11:30 PM CST
Where: Osborne County, 5 mi N of Osborne
Rating: F1
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.500, -98.700

Tornado, Osborne

When: April 10, 11:25 PM CST to 11:32 PM CST
Where: Osborne County, 4 mi SW of Downs
Rating: F1
Path length: 7 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.467, -98.600

Exited Osborne county into Smith county

Tornado, Smith

When: April 10, 11:32 PM CST to 11:35 PM CST
Where: Smith County, 1 mi SW of Dispatch
Rating: F0
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.583, -98.517

Entered from Osborne county and exited to Jewell county

Tornado, Jewell

When: April 10, 11:35 PM CST to 11:39 PM CST
Where: Jewell County, 10 mi SW of Ionia
Rating: F0
Path length: 4 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $50,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.567, -98.483

Entered from Smith county

Thunderstorm Wind, Smith

When: April 10, 11:45 PM CST
Where: Smith County, Smith Center
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.783, -98.783

Tornado, Smith

When: April 10, 11:49 PM CST to 11:55 PM CST
Where: Smith County, 3 mi SW of Cora
Rating: F0
Path length: 3.5 mi
Path width: 50 yd
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.850, -98.700

Tornado, Jewell

When: April 11, 12:14 AM CST to 12:18 AM CST
Where: Jewell County, 2 mi S of Formoso
Rating: F0
Path length: 3.5 mi
Path width: 75 yd
Property damage: $70,000
Reported by: NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates: 39.750, -98.000

Exited Jewell county and entered Republic county

Thunderstorm Wind, Mitchell

When: April 11, 12:15 AM CST
Where: Mitchell County, Beloit
Measured: 80 kt (92 mph)
Property damage: $60,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.467, -98.117

Thunderstorm Wind, Jewell

When: April 11, 12:25 AM CST
Where: Jewell County, Webber
Measured: 53 kt (61 mph)
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.933, -98.033

What these are

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.
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

Every storm in Kansas in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Kansas, 2001 Warnings in Kansas, April 2001

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: 5239381, 5239382, 5239383, 5239384, 5242496, 5242497, 5242498, 5242583, 5242584, 5242585, 5242586, 5242587, 5242588, 5242589, 5242590, 5242591, 5242592.