Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, April 19, 2002

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, April 19, 2002
Start: 2002-04-19T02:14
End: 2002-04-19T02:32
Location: Kansas

April 19, 2002 · NWS TOP · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

3 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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: 0
Property damage: $5.0 million
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 Topeka, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 18, 1:50 PM CST, 12 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 18, 1:50 PM CST, 12 hours 24 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
250 PM CDT THU APR 18 2002

MAIN FORECAST CONCERN IS PRECIP CHANCES OVER THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS.

FOR TONIGHT THUNDERSTORM CHANCES LOOK GOOD WITH AN UNSTABLE
ATMOSPHERE AND LITTLE OR NO CAP. TOWERING CU STARTING TO DEVELOP
NEAR THE DRYLINE TO OUR SOUTHWEST. THINK THAT TONIGHT WILL BE
SOMEWHAT LIKE LAST NIGHT WITH THUNDERSTORMS INITIATING IN CENTRAL KS
AND MOVING INTO THE FORECAST AREA. THEN ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS MAY
DEVELOP AS THE COLD FRONT BEGINS TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA DURING THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS.

FOR FRIDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND...THE COLD FRONT EVENTUALLY STALLS
ACROSS SOUTHERN OK AND SOUTHERN MO FRIDAY WITH MID LEVEL MOISTURE
FEEDING OVER IT. I LEFT A CHANCE FOR THUNDER IN EAST CENTRAL ZONES
FOR FRIDAY DUE TO THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT AND THEY WILL STILL
BE IN THE WARM MOISTURE SECTOR A LITTLE LONGER. AFTER FRIDAY THINK
THE FRONT WILL BE FAR ENOUGH SOUTH SO THAT ANY PRECIP THAT OCCURS
WILL BE WITHOUT THUNDER. THINK THAT THE BEST CHANCES FOR PRECIP WILL
BE DURING THE DAY SATURDAY AND INTO SATURDAY NIGHT AS UPPER TROUGH
BEGINS TO LIFT OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE PLAINS. TEMPERATURES
FROM THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WERE IN THE BALLPARK AND ONLY MADE MINOR
ADJUSTMENT.

LEFT SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY DRY. A SHORTWAVE IS ADVERTISED TO
MOVE ACROSS THE AREA MONDAY BUT WITH SFC RIDGING ALONG THE GULF
COAST DO NOT THINK THERE SHOULD NOT BE A LOT OF MOISTURE RETURN.
AGREE WITH PMDEPD AND FOLLOWED THE MRF WITH THE REMAINDER OF THE
FORECAST. INSERTED A CHANCE FOR THUNDER TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT.
LEE TROUGH WILL DEVELOP DURING THE DAY TUESDAY AND A SHORTWAVE
TROUGH IS PROGGED TO MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS DRAGGING
ANOTHER COLD FRONT INTO THE AREA. THE MRF KEEPS THE BETTER DYNAMICS
NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA SO ONLY WENT WITH SMALL CHANCE POPS FOR
NOW. WITH THE COLD FRONT SOUTH OF THE AREA WEDNESDAY AND SHORTWAVE
RIDGING OVERHEAD ON THURSDAY...LEFT THE FORECAST DRY.

.TOP...NONE

WOLTERS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 19, 1:18 AM CST, 56 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
218 AM CDT FRI APR 19 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0205 AM    WELLS                     KS    .75 INCH HAIL
04/19/02   OTTAWA                          PUBLIC REPORTED DIME
                                           SIZE HAIL

Local storm report, Apr 19, 1:38 AM CST, 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
238 AM CDT FRI APR 19 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0235 AM    5 W UPLAND                KS    70 MPH TSTM GUST
04/19/02   DICKINSON

Local storm report, Apr 19, 1:44 AM CST, 30 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
244 AM CDT FRI APR 19 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0234 AM    10 E LONGFORD             KS    .75 INCH HAIL
04/19/02   CLAY                            PUBLIC REPORTED DIME
                                           SIZE HAIL

Local storm report, Apr 19, 2:01 AM CST, 13 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
301 AM CDT FRI APR 19 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0255 AM    RILEY                     KS    70 MPH TSTM GUST
04/19/02   RILEY

Local storm report, Apr 19, 2:08 AM CST, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
308 AM CDT FRI APR 19 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0307 AM    7 W MANHATTAN             KS    .75 INCH HAIL
04/19/02   RILEY                           PUBLIC REPORTED DIME
                                           SIZE HAIL

Local storm report, Apr 19, 2:10 AM CST, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
310 AM CDT FRI APR 19 2002

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0307 AM    7 W MANHATTAN             KS    60 MPH TSTM GUST
04/19/02   RILEY                           PUBLIC REPORTED 60 MPH
                                           WIND GUST

The radar

The Topeka radar (KTWX), 37 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:12 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Riley

When: April 19, 2:14 AM CST
Where: Riley County, Manhattan
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.183, -96.583

Thunderstorm Wind, Riley

When: April 19, 2:14 AM CST
Where: Riley County, Manhattan
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Property damage: $5.0 million
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.183, -96.583

A bow echo moved east across Riley county producing strong winds and large hail. Winds reached a speed of 82 mph at the Manhattan airport. The strong winds knocked out power and did widespread damage in Manhattan to many homes and businesses. The Walmart store had severe roof damage that resulted in store closure for several days until repairs could be made. Total damage estimates from Riley county officials were 5 million dollars.

Hail, Jackson

When: April 19, 2:25 AM CST
Where: Jackson County, Mayetta
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.333, -95.733

Thunderstorm Wind, Pottawatomie

When: April 19, 2:29 AM CST
Where: Pottawatomie County, Wamego
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.200, -96.317

Strong winds damaged some homes in Wamego.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pottawatomie

When: April 19, 2:32 AM CST
Where: Pottawatomie County, Wamego
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage: $3,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.200, -96.317

Strong winds damaged some business signs in Wamego.

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.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kansas in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, April 2002

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: 5290025, 5290107, 5290108, 5290109, 5290110.