Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, May 29, 2004

Name: Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, May 29, 2004
Start: 2004-05-29T16:57
End: 2004-05-29T17:31
Location: Kansas

May 29, 2004 · NWS TOP · 9 events in 2 counties and zones

3 tornado, 3 hail, 2 funnel cloud, 1 thunderstorm wind, 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: $2.3 million
Crop damage: $6,000
Events: 9

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 May 29, 12:41 PM CST, 4 hours 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 29, 12:41 PM CST, 4 hours 16 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR WIND ADVISORY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
141 PM CDT SAT MAY 29 2004

.DISCUSSION...
WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWS NEG TILT UPPER TROUGH EXTENDING
FROM WESTERN MT SOUTHEAST TO NORTHEAST NM. THE 17Z SURFACE ANALYSIS
SHOWED A SURFACE LOW DEVELOPING NORTHEAST OF HILL CITY...KS WITH
COLD FRONT EXTENDING NORTH THROUGH WESTERN NE AND A DRYLINE SOUTH
INTO THE EASTERN TEXAS PNHDL.

THE SHORT RANGE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT LIFTING THE 5H TROUGH
NORTHEAST ACROSS THE WESTERN HIGH PLAINS THIS EVENING. INCREASING
SYNOPTIC SCALE ASCENT AHEAD OF THE 5H WAVE...ALONG WITH SURFACE
CONVERGENCE ALONG THE DRYLINE AND COLD FRONT WILL CAUSE
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP AROUND OR JUST AFTER 21Z ACROSS
NORTH-CENTRAL KS AND SOUTH-CENTRAL NE. GIVEN AN ENVIRONMENT OF
EXTREME INSTABILITY AND VERTICAL WINDHSEAR WITHIN THE WARM
SECTOR...ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP WILL QUICKLY BECOME
SUPERCELLS PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES. ON
THE NORTH SIDE OF THE SURFACE DRYLINE BULGE...LOW-LEVEL WINDS ARE
FORECASTED TO BACK DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE
INTENSE VERTICAL WINDSHEAR MAY LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRONG AND
LONG TRACK TORNADOES...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN COUNTIES OF
THE FA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.  AFTER 00Z DISCRETE
SUPERCELLS WILL DEVELOP DOWN THE DRYLINE. THESE SUPERCELLS WILL ALSO
BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED
TORNADOES. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG AHEAD OF THE DRYLINE
AND COLD FRONT. EXPECT SOUTHERLY WINDS TO RANGE FROM 20 TO 30 MPH
WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS.

EVENTUALLY THE DISCRETE SUPERCELLS WILL EVOLVE INTO A SQUALL LINE
AND MOVE ACROSS THE EASTERN COUNTIES OF THE FA AROUND MIDNIGHT. THE
VERTICAL WINDSHEAR PROFILES WILL CONTINUE THE THREAT FOR BOW ECHOS
AND WITH MESOCYCLONES POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE OUTFLOW BOWS. THE
NORTHEAST COUNTIES OF THE FA MAY GET SOME HEAVY RAINFALL THIS
EVENING AND TONIGHT. THE RUC AND MESO ETA SHOWS THE GREATEST QPF
NORTH IN EASTERN NE AND IA. I WILL HOLD OFF ON A FLASH FLOOD WATCH
FOR JUST 3 COUNTIES IN MY NORTHEAST FA...SINCE MESOSCALE PROCESSES
WILL GO ALONG WAY INTO DETERMINING ANY FLOODING THREATS.

AFTER SUNRISE ON SUNDAY THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST OF THE FA. I
KEPT A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE EASTERN COUNTIES
DUE TO THE COLD CORE 5H TROUGH PASSING OVER HEAD. THERE MAY BE
ENOUGH RESIDUAL MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WITH THE COLD POOL ALOFT
FOR ISOLATED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP.

IN THE EXTENDED FORECAST THE 5H TROUGH WILL BECOME A CLOSED LOW OVER
THE GREAT LAKE STATES KEEPING KANSAS IN NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT. A
SURFACE RIDGE WILL BUILD SOUTH ACROSS THE PLAINS THROUGH MIDWEEK
PROVIDING COOL AND DRY CONDITIONS THROUGH MID WEEK. A 5H RIDGE OVER
THE WESTERN CONUS WILL EXPAND EAST TOWARDS THE SOUTHERN PLAINS.
ANOTHER 5H TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST BY THE END OF
THE WEEK. ATTM IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL TRACK WELL TO OUR NORTH BUT MAY
PROVIDE US A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY.

&&

.TOP...WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KSZ008>012-020>024-034>038-054-
WIND ADVISORY ALONG AND NORTHWEST OF A EMPORIA TO HIAWATHA LINE FOR
THIS AFTERNOON.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 29, 4:00 PM CST, 57 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
500 PM CDT SAT MAY 29 2004

KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-301000-
ANDERSON-BROWN-CLAY-CLOUD-COFFEY-DICKINSON-DOUGLAS-FRANKLIN-GEARY-
JACKSON-JEFFERSON-LYON-MARSHALL-MORRIS-NEMAHA-OSAGE-OTTAWA-
POTTAWATOMIE-REPUBLIC-RILEY-SHAWNEE-WABAUNSEE-WASHINGTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ABILENE...CLAY CENTER...CONCORDIA...
EMPORIA...HIAWATHA...JUNCTION CITY...LAWRENCE...MANHATTAN...
MARYSVILLE...OTTAWA AND TOPEKA
457 PM CDT SAT MAY 29 2004

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL...NORTHEAST AND
EAST CENTRAL KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING AND
TONIGHT. THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WATCH FOR
THE ENTIRE REGION UNTIL 10 PM CDT. THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS
SITUATION WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF STRONG TORNADOES. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL TWO INCHES IN
DIAMETER OR GREATER...WIND GUSTS OVER 70 MPH AND TORNADOES ARE
POSSIBLE ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

THOSE USING AREA RECREATIONAL LAKES AND ATTENDING OUTSIDE
ACTIVITIES WILL NEED TO MONITOR WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL BROADCASTS FOR
THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.  HAVE A PLAN FOR SEEKING SHELTER, KEEPING IN
MIND THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE DEVELOPING OVER NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND WILL MOVE
NORTHEAST THIS EVENING. OTHER STORMS MAY DEVELOP ACROSS EAST CENTRAL
AND NORTHEAST KANSAS THIS EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS WILL BE NEEDED TONIGHT.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE:
   HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/TOP  (ALL LOWER CASE)

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 29, 3:51 PM CST, 1 hour 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
451 PM CDT SAT MAY 29 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0445 PM     HAIL             3 NE MUNDEN             39.94N 97.50W
05/29/2004  0.75 INCH        REPUBLIC           KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

DS

Local storm report, May 29, 4:05 PM CST, 52 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
505 PM CDT SAT MAY 29 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0432 PM     HAIL             NORTONVILLE             39.41N 95.33W
05/29/2004  1.25 INCH        JEFFERSON          KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

DS

Local storm report, May 29, 4:40 PM CST, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
540 PM CDT SAT MAY 29 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0535 PM     HAIL             JAMESTOWN               39.60N 97.86W
05/29/2004  0.75 INCH        CLOUD              KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

DS

Local storm report, May 29, 4:45 PM CST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
545 PM CDT SAT MAY 29 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0542 PM     HAIL             3 W JAMESTOWN           39.60N 97.92W
05/29/2004  1.00 INCH        CLOUD              KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

DS

Local storm report, May 29, 4:51 PM CST, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
551 PM CDT SAT MAY 29 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0550 PM     TSTM WND GST     6 SW JAMESTOWN          39.54N 97.94W
05/29/2004  70 MPH           MITCHELL           KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

            BREAKING OFF TREE BRANCHES.

&&

DS

Local storm report, May 29, 4:56 PM CST, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
556 PM CDT SAT MAY 29 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0555 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     3 SW JAMESTOWN          39.57N 97.90W
05/29/2004                   CLOUD              KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

DS

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 96 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 tornado, 3 hail, 2 funnel cloud, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Cloud

When: May 29, 4:57 PM CST to 5:05 PM CST
Where: Cloud County, 3 mi SW of Jamestown
Rating: F1
Path length: 4 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $175,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.567, -97.900

A tornado touched down in rural areas near Jamestown. The tornado destroyed one house and heavily damaged three others along its 4 mile path. Two sheds were flattened, one of which fell onto two pickup trucks destroying both vehicles. Many power lines were downed. Some irrigation units were toppled.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cloud

When: May 29, 5:01 PM CST
Where: Cloud County, Jamestown
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $30,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 39.600, -97.867

Strong thunderstorm winds damaged a 40 foot by 80 foot shop building in Jamestown.

Hail, Republic

When: May 29, 5:04 PM CST
Where: Republic County, 3 mi W of Norway
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.700, -97.833

Funnel Cloud, Cloud

When: May 29, 5:10 PM CST
Where: Cloud County, 3 mi W of Jamestown
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.480, -97.649 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A funnel cloud was sighted near Jamestown.

Tornado, Cloud

When: May 29, 5:11 PM CST to 5:21 PM CST
Where: Cloud County, 4 mi WNW of Jamestown
Rating: F2
Path length: 5 mi
Path width: 200 yd
Property damage: $2.1 million
Reported by: STORM CHASER
Coordinates: 39.617, -97.933

A tornado touched down 4 miles westnorthwest of Jamestown and moved eastnorteast before dissipating 3 miles northnorthwest of Jamestown. Large trees and power poles were downed. A number of farms along the route had significant damage.

Hail, Cloud

When: May 29, 5:11 PM CST
Where: Cloud County, 4 mi NW of Jamestown
Measured: 4 in hail
Crop damage: $6,000
Reported by: STORM CHASER
Coordinates: 39.633, -97.917

Near softball size hail damaged crops near Jamestown.

Tornado, Cloud

When: May 29, 5:25 PM CST to 5:29 PM CST
Where: Cloud County, 4 mi N of Jamestown
Rating: F1
Path length: 2 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Reported by: STORM CHASER
Coordinates: 39.650, -97.867

A tornado touched down in rural areas near Jamestown and moved 2 miles before dissipating.

Hail, Republic

When: May 29, 5:26 PM CST
Where: Republic County, Norway
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.700, -97.783

Funnel Cloud, Republic

When: May 29, 5:31 PM CST
Where: Republic County, 7 mi SSW of Courtland
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.828, -97.651 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A funnel cloud was sighted southsouthwest of Courtland.

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.
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.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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 2004 Every state in 2004 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Kansas, 2004 Warnings in Kansas, May 2004

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: 5397923, 5397994, 5397924, 5397925, 5397926, 5397927, 5397928, 5397992, 5397993.