Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 24, 2005

Name: Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 24, 2005
Start: 2005-05-24T16:17
End: 2005-05-24T18:40
Location: Kansas

May 24, 2005 · NWS GLD · 12 events in 4 counties and zones

12 thunderstorm wind, 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 24, 3:57 PM MST, 20 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 24, 3:57 PM MST, 20 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
457 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

.UPDATE...ZONES HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO ADD ADDITIONAL SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR ALL OF OUR NORTHWEST KANSAS ZONES. LATEST
RADAR OBSERVATIONS AND SATELLITE TRENDS INDICATED CONTINUING
CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO AND SPREADING
EASTWARD INTO WESTERN KANSAS INTO THE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.
MADE NO OTHER CHANGES TO THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME.

&&

.GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
.KS...NONE.
.NE...NONE.
.CO...NONE.

&&

LAMMERS

Hazardous weather outlook, May 24, 9:26 AM MST, 6 hours 51 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1026 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-251200-
CHEYENNE KS-CHEYENNE COUNTY CO-DECATUR KS-DUNDY NE-GOVE KS-GRAHAM KS-
GREELEY KS-HITCHCOCK NE-KIT CARSON COUNTY CO-LOGAN KS-NORTON KS-
RAWLINS KS-RED WILLOW NE-SHERIDAN KS-SHERMAN KS-THOMAS KS-WALLACE KS-
WICHITA KS-YUMA COUNTY CO-
1026 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST KANSAS...EXTREME
SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA...AND EAST CENTRAL COLORADO.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

ANOTHER ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE TRI STATE AREA
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

A COLD FRONT...COMBINED WITH A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL
BEGIN TO SLIDE ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON.  A FEW STORMS HAVE
ALREADY FORMED AHEAD OF THIS DISTURBANCE ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO
LATE THIS MORNING AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN
COVERAGE AND INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

ALTHOUGH THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE FOR SOME DIME SIZE HAIL WITH THE
LATE MORNING STORMS...MORE WIDESPREAD STORMS SHOULD BEGIN TO DEVELOP
AFTER 2 PM MDT (3 PM CDT). SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD INITIALLY FORM
NORTH AND WEST OF A MCCOOK TO TRIBUNE LINE...THEN SPREAD SOUTH AND
EAST THROUGH THE EVENING.

LARGE HAIL UP TO GOLFBALL SIZE OR LARGER...DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN
EXCESS OF 70 MPH AND A FEW ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
ANY STORM THAT FORM. THESE STORMS WILL BEGIN TO FORM INTO A LINE
AFTER SUNSET AND THE THREAT WILL TRANSITION TO LARGE HAIL AND
POSSIBLY WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR
WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 70.
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN MAY ALSO CAUSE AREAS OF FLOODING
OVERNIGHT...PRIMARILY IN LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVED HEAVY RAIN MONDAY
NIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

ALTHOUGH COOLER AND DRYER AIR WILL BE MOVING INTO THE AREA BEHIND THE
COLD FRONT ON WEDNESDAY...THUNDERSTORMS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE ACROSS
THE TRI-STATE REGION. ALTHOUGH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT
EXPECTED...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING CAN ACCOMPANY ANY
THUNDERSTORM.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED AFTER 2 PM MDT (3 PM CDT).

JRM

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 24, 12:11 PM MST, 4 hours 6 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
111 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

COZ090-091-250200-
KIT CARSON-YUMA-
111 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

...TORNADO WATCH 322 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 8 PM MDT. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES
ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATCH:

IN COLORADO: YUMA...KIT CARSON

HAIL TO 3 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR TORNADOES IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN
THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

JRM

Special weather statement, May 24, 12:42 PM MST, 3 hours 35 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
142 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

COZ092-250200-
CHEYENNE CO-
142 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 323 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM MDT...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 8 PM MDT. THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATCH:

IN COLORADO: CHEYENNE

HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 60 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE
WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

DLF

Special weather statement, May 24, 1:43 PM MST, 2 hours 34 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
243 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

NEZ079>081-250400-
DUNDY-HITCHCOCK-RED WILLOW-
243 PM MDT (343 PM CDT) TUE MAY 24 2005

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 324 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM MDT (11
PM CDT)...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM MDT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST
NEBRASKA. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE WATCH:

DUNDY...HITCHCOCK...RED WILLOW

HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE
WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

FS

Local storm report, May 24, 3:33 PM MST, 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
433 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

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

0425 PM     TSTM WND GST     9 S YUMA                39.99N 102.72W
05/24/2005  50 MPH           YUMA               CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            PEA SIZED HAIL

&&

KGIEDD

Special weather statement, May 24, 3:33 PM MST, 44 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
433 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-250500-
CHEYENNE KS-DECATUR-GOVE-GRAHAM-GREELEY-LOGAN-NORTON-RAWLINS-
SHERIDAN-SHERMAN-THOMAS-WALLACE-WICHITA-
433 PM MDT (533 PM CDT) TUE MAY 24 2005

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 326 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM MDT
(MIDNIGHT CDT)...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 11 PM MDT (MIDNIGHT CDT) FOR
NORTHWEST KANSAS. THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE
WATCH:

CHEYENNE...DECATUR...GOVE...GRAHAM...GREELEY...LOGAN...
NORTON...RAWLINS...SHERIDAN...SHERMAN...THOMAS...WALLACE AND
WICHITA.

HAIL TO 2 INCHES IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 70 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.

REMEMBER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE
FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE
WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

LAMMERS

Local storm report, May 24, 3:58 PM MST, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
458 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2005

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

0452 PM     TORNADO          9 SW IDALIA             39.61N 102.42W
05/24/2005                   YUMA               CO   NWS EMPLOYEE

            BRIEF TOUCHDOWN

&&

KGIEDD

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 79 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:18 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cheyenne

When: May 24, 4:17 PM MST
Where: Cheyenne County, 17 mi NW of St Francis
Measured: 65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.867, -101.050

Thunderstorm Wind, Cheyenne

When: May 24, 4:20 PM MST
Where: Cheyenne County, 15 mi NNW of St Francis
Measured: 78 kt (90 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.950, -100.783

6 REA poles knocked down and 5th wheel motor home tipped over by strong winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cheyenne

When: May 24, 4:54 PM MST
Where: Cheyenne County, Bird City Arpt
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.783, -101.367

Thunderstorm Wind, Cheyenne

When: May 24, 4:58 PM MST
Where: Cheyenne County, Bird City Arpt
Measured: 59 kt (68 mph) measured gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.817, -100.517

Minor tree damage.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rawlins

When: May 24, 5:15 PM MST
Where: Rawlins County, Mc Donald
Measured: 83 kt (96 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.967, -100.650

Roof blown off gas station and power lines knocked down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rawlins

When: May 24, 5:15 PM MST
Where: Rawlins County, 3 mi NE of Mc Donald
Measured: 82 kt (94 mph) measured gust
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.833, -99.883

1/4 mile irrigation pivot sprinkler blown over. Time estimated from radar.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rawlins

When: May 24, 5:15 PM MST
Where: Rawlins County, Mc Donald
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.733, -101.533

Roof blown off shed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rawlins

When: May 24, 5:29 PM MST
Where: Rawlins County, 5 mi N of Atwood
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.933, -102.033

Thunderstorm Wind, Rawlins

When: May 24, 6:10 PM MST
Where: Rawlins County, 4 mi N of Herndon
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 39.967, -101.900

5-inch diameter live tree branches snapped.

Thunderstorm Wind, Decatur

When: May 24, 6:10 PM MST
Where: Decatur County, Oberlin
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates: 39.733, -101.533

KSN WX Lab Weathernet. Tree limbs also reported down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Decatur

When: May 24, 6:10 PM MST
Where: Decatur County, 2 mi N of Traer
Measured: 58 kt (67 mph) measured gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.783, -101.367

Thunderstorm Wind, Norton

When: May 24, 6:40 PM MST
Where: Norton County, Norton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.817, -101.333

4-inch live tree banches down.

What these are

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 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, May 2005

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: 5453548, 5453549, 5453550, 5453551, 5453552, 5453553, 5454268, 5454266, 5454267, 5454269, 5454270, 5454271.