Flash Flooding and Hail in Kansas, September 17 to 18, 2001

Name: Flash Flooding and Hail in Kansas, September 17 to 18, 2001
Start: 2001-09-17T14:53
End: 2001-09-18T01:30
Location: Kansas

September 17 to 18, 2001 · NWS ICT · 31 events in 8 counties and zones

20 hail, 9 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood, 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: $185,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 31

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 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 Wichita, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 17, 2:05 PM CST, 48 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 17, 2:05 PM CST, 48 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
305 PM CDT MON SEP 17 2001

MAIN FORECAST PROBLEM IS EXTENT AND DURATION OF HEAVY PRECIP.

SHORTWAVE TROUGH OVER THE CENTRAL ROCKIES WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS KS
TONIGHT.  THIS WILL INTERACT WITH QUASI-STATIONARY FRONT, DEEP
MOISTURE, AND INCREASING LOW-LEVEL JET TO PRODUCE POTENTIAL FOR
HEAVY RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF KS OVERNIGHT.  COMBINED WITH 3 HOUR FLASH
FLOOD INDICES AROUND 2 FOR MANY COUNTIES...PATTERN IMPRESSIVE
ENOUGH TO WARRANT FLASH FLOOD WATCH.

SECONDARY UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE THROUGH ON TUESDAY AND MAINTAIN
RAIN CHANCES THROUGHOUT DAY IN CENTRAL KANSAS, AND INTO TUESDAY
NIGHT OVER EASTERN KANSAS.  ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE IN
DEFORMATION ZONE IN EASTERN KANSAS ON TUESDAY, BUT WILL LET MIDNIGHT
SHIFT DETERMINE WHETHER EXTENSION TO FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS WARRANTED
FOR THAT DAY.

NEXT PRECIP CHANCES LOOK TO BE SATURDAY AS BOTH MRF AND 12Z AVN
MODELS BRING WEAK UPPER TROUGH ACROSS CENTRAL PLANS ALONG WITH
SURFACE TROUGH.  SO HAVE ADDED CHANCE IN FORECAST FOR THAT DAY.

GUIDANCE TEMPS LOOK TO BE SIMILAR TO GOING FORECAST AND WILL DIFFER
LITTLE FROM THEM.

.ICT...FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALL OF CWA FOR TONIGHT

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Sep 17, 10:50 AM CST, 4 hours 3 minutes before

KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-171900-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1150 AM CDT MON SEP 17 2001

THE FOLLOWING IS A HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL...
SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

SYNOPSIS:
A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDED FROM SOUTHWEST...THROUGH CENTRAL INTO
EAST CENTRAL KANSAS LATE THIS MORNING. AS THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER
EASTERN KANSAS WEAKEN...CLEARING IN THE WAKE OF THE STORMS WILL
ALLOW THE ATMOSPHERE TO BECOME MODERATELY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON.
MORE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NEAR THIS FRONT OVER
WESTERN KANSAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON...AND SPREAD EASTWARD OVERNIGHT.

A FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY STRONG WINDS TO 60 MPH AND
DIME TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS.

GDP

Special weather statement, Sep 17, 2:49 PM CST, 4 minutes before

KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-171900-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
ISSUED BY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1150 AM CDT MON SEP 17 2001

THE FOLLOWING IS A HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL...
SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

SYNOPSIS:
A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDED FROM SOUTHWEST...THROUGH CENTRAL INTO
EAST CENTRAL KANSAS LATE THIS MORNING. AS THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER
EASTERN KANSAS WEAKEN...CLEARING IN THE WAKE OF THE STORMS WILL
ALLOW THE ATMOSPHERE TO BECOME MODERATELY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON.
MORE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP NEAR THIS FRONT OVER
WESTERN KANSAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON...AND SPREAD EASTWARD OVERNIGHT.

A FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY STRONG WINDS TO 60 MPH AND
DIME TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE FROM LATE THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS.

GDP

The radar

The Wichita radar (KICT), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:55 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

20 hail, 9 thunderstorm wind, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Rice

When: September 17, 2:53 PM CST
Where: Rice County, 4 mi S of Bushton
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.467, -98.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Rice

When: September 17, 3:09 PM CST
Where: Rice County, Chase
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.350, -98.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Rice

When: September 17, 3:15 PM CST
Where: Rice County, Chase
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.350, -98.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Rice

When: September 17, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Rice County, Lyons
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.350, -98.200

Hail, Rice

When: September 17, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Rice County, Lyons
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.350, -98.200

Hail, Rice

When: September 17, 3:32 PM CST
Where: Rice County, Lyons
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.350, -98.200

Hail, Rice

When: September 17, 3:58 PM CST
Where: Rice County, 5 mi E of Saxman
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.283, -98.017

Hail, Rice

When: September 17, 4:10 PM CST
Where: Rice County, 6 mi S of Little River
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.317, -98.017

Hail, Rice

When: September 17, 4:12 PM CST
Where: Rice County, 4 mi S of Little River
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 38.350, -98.017

Hail, Rice

When: September 17, 4:12 PM CST
Where: Rice County, 8 mi E of Saxman
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.283, -97.967

Hail, McPherson

When: September 17, 4:20 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 7 mi NW of Inman
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.300, -97.850

Hail, Rice

When: September 17, 4:22 PM CST
Where: Rice County, 7 mi SE of Little River
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.333, -97.933

Thunderstorm Wind, Butler

When: September 17, 4:32 PM CST
Where: Butler County, 8 mi SW of Cassoday
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $25,000
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 37.950, -96.733

A 20 X 24 foot shed damaged. Area newspapers contributed to this report.

Hail, McPherson

When: September 17, 4:35 PM CST
Where: McPherson County, 6 mi S of Windom
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.300, -97.900

Hail, Russell

When: September 17, 4:43 PM CST
Where: Russell County, 6 mi E of Milberger
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.717, -98.800

Hail, Reno

When: September 17, 5:20 PM CST
Where: Reno County, 1 mi N of Buhler
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.150, -97.767

Hail, Harvey

When: September 17, 5:35 PM CST
Where: Harvey County, 1 mi S of Burrton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.000, -97.667

Hail, Harvey

When: September 17, 5:40 PM CST
Where: Harvey County, 3 mi W of Hesston
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 38.133, -97.483

Hail, Harvey

When: September 17, 5:40 PM CST
Where: Harvey County, 3 mi N of Burrton
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates: 38.067, -97.667

Hail, Butler

When: September 17, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Butler County, Rosalia
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.817, -96.617

Hail, Harvey

When: September 17, 5:45 PM CST
Where: Harvey County, 7 mi N of Burrton
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 38.117, -97.667

Hail, Harvey

When: September 17, 5:56 PM CST
Where: Harvey County, 4 mi W of Burrton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.017, -97.733

Thunderstorm Wind, Harvey

When: September 17, 6:35 PM CST
Where: Harvey County, 3 mi W of Newton
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 38.050, -97.400

Thunderstorm Wind, Harvey

When: September 17, 6:37 PM CST
Where: Harvey County, 2 mi W of Newton
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.050, -97.383

Unspecified structural damage to building.

Hail, Harvey

When: September 17, 6:37 PM CST
Where: Harvey County, 2 mi W of Newton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.050, -97.383

Hail, Harvey

When: September 17, 6:46 PM CST
Where: Harvey County, Newton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 38.050, -97.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Labette

When: September 17, 7:20 PM CST
Where: Labette County, Oswego
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Property damage: $150,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.167, -95.100

Machine shed destroyed. Time estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind, Barton

When: September 17, 7:50 PM CST
Where: Barton County, Great Bend
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 38.367, -98.767

Power lines downed.

Flash Flood, Barton

When: September 17, 7:59 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Barton County, 5 mi S of Great Bend
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.479, -98.756 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Highway 281 flooded to depths of 2-3 feet. Some houses were flooded as well.

Thunderstorm Wind, Barton

When: September 17, 8:05 PM CST
Where: Barton County, 3 mi NE of Great Bend
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.400, -98.733

Flash Flood, Rice

When: September 17, 9:35 PM CST to September 18, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Rice County, 1 mi N of Lyons
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.347, -98.201 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

K-14 flooded to depths of 2 feet.

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.
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 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, September 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: 5262872, 5262873, 5262874, 5262875, 5262876, 5262877, 5262885, 5262878, 5262879, 5262880, 5262881, 5262882, 5262886, 5262883, 5262884, 5262887, 5262888, 5262889, 5262890, 5262891, 5262892, 5262893, 5262894, 5262895, 5262896, 5262897, 5262974, 5262970, 5262972, 5262971, 5262973.