The passage of a cold front April 3rd drove cold arctic air into the Central Plains States, and forced temperatures to plummet to some of the coolest readings ever recorded during early April. 3F degrees at Concordia.
Every event with a place to put it; 23 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS TOP wrote it up.
The passage of a cold front April 3rd drove cold arctic air into the Central Plains States, and forced temperatures to plummet to some of the coolest readings ever recorded during early April. Topeka and Concordia both saw their coldest ever April 4th through April 8th average temperatures, with readings of 33.5F degrees at Topeka, and 30.3F degrees at Concordia. Record low maximum temperatures were recorded at Topeka, 38F degrees, and Concordia, 31F degrees on April 5th. Concordia also had a record low maximum temperature of 37F degrees on April 6th. Temperatures dipped down into the middle to upper teens overnight the 6th and the 7th across Northeast Kansas, which brought a hard freeze to much of the state. Early season crops, including wheat, alfalfa, berries, spinach, and apples were significantly damaged by the cold. Cool weather and below normal temperatures continued for the next week, before a second round of very cold temperatures settled over Northeast Kansas the weekend of the 13th-15th, primarily across far Northeast and East Central Kansas. North Central portions of the state stayed above freezing during this time period. But, the prolonged cold, and the second wave of freezing temperatures exacerbated the crop problems already evident across the region. Unfortunately, the end of March recorded unseasonably warm temperatures. Crops had responded positively to the spring heat and flourished. The cold snap, though, left many of these same crops heavily damaged. But because of warm March temperatures, this late spring freeze left many farmers out in the cold. The Kansas State Farm Services Agency reported that all 23 counties in the Topeka County Warning Area recorded a 30% or greater loss of the wheat and alfalfa crops in each respective county. Fruit trees and strawberries were some of the hardest hit crops by the late freeze. In addition, orchard and vineyard owners were likely to suffer the greatest economic losses. A Secretarial Natural Disaster was declared for northeast Kansas as a result of the prolonged spring freeze. The average latest date for the spring freeze across the Topeka County Warning area ranges from April 3rd to April 23rd. Also, due to the extent and impact of the freeze, qualifying farmers in Anderson, Coffey, Douglas, Franklin, Osage and Shawnee counties were declared eligible to make emergency loan applications to the Farm Service Agency.
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 3, 2:36 PM CST, 9 hours 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED FOR WIND ADVISORY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 336 PM CDT TUE APR 3 2007 .DISCUSSION... SHORT TERM CONCERNS FOR THE OVERNIGHT AND WEDNESDAY CONCERN TEMPERATURES AND THEN LATE NIGHT CLOUD TRENDS TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. HARD FREEZES APPEAR LIKELY BY THE END OF THE WEEK. MID AFTERNOON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND PROFILERS SHOWING NORTHWEST FLOW AROUND UPPER MIDWEST LOW AND THEN HINTS OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY IN EXITING KANSAS INTO MISSOURI. DEEPER MOISTURE AND SHORTWAVE EAST OF CWA BUT TRAILING WEAK SYSTEM BROUGHT SOME LIGHT RAIN TO PARTS OF NORTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH ABOUT 2 PM. SUBSIDENCE BEHIND LATEST WAVE LEAVING MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES. SOME LOW LEVEL CLOUDINESS TO THE NORTH TRIED TO PUSH SOUTH BUT THAT IS ALSO DISSIPATING WITH LOSS OF AFTERNOON HEATING. AFTERNOON TEMPERATURES FELL INTO THE UPPER 50S OVER THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES WHILE HOLDING IN THE MIDDLE 50S AROUND INTERSTATE 70 AND UPPER 40S OVER THE NORTHERN COUNTIES. BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS 20 TO 25 MPH WITH SOME GUSTS OF 35 TO AROUND 40 MPH HAVE BEEN GRADUALLY DIMINISHING HEADING INTO THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS. NEVER QUITE REACHED THE SUSTAINED WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA BUT DID HAVE A FEW GUSTS OVER 40 MPH...MAINLY NORTH WEST OF THE TURNPIKE. DEWPOINTS HAD VALLE INTO THE LOWER 30S NORTH TO LOWER 40S SOUTHEAST CORNER COUNTIES. FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...EXPECTING MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES MUCH OF THE NIGHT EAST BUT MODELS ALL SOMEWHAT CONSISTENT IN DEVELOPING ISENTROPIC LIFT OVER THE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE CWA AFTER MIDNIGHT...AROUND THE 295 THETA SURFACE CONDENSATION PRESSURE DEFICITS GET BELOW 60 AND THAT SPREADS A LITTLE FARTHER INTO THE EASTERN COUNTIES BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. WITH THE COLD ADVECTION AND LOWER DEWPOINTS...KEPT LOWS IN THE UPPER 20S OVER THE NORTHERN COUNTIES TO AT OR JUST ABOVE FREEZING OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF CWA. THINKING WE WILL KEEP SOME GRADIENT ON THE WIND THROUGH THE NIGHT AS SURFACE HIGHS BUILDS SOUTHWARD...OTHERWISE WOULD GO EVEN COOLER...AND AGAIN BY LATE NIGHT CLOUDS ON THE INCREASE WEST. NO HEADLINES AT THIS POINT FOR FREEZE WARNINGS AS THE LOCALLY DEFINED GROWING SEASON DOES NOT START FOR ABOUT ANOTHER WEEK. WILL CONTINUE TREND OF MENTIONING FREEZE POTENTIAL IN THE HWO. ON WEDNESDAY... GIVEN THE EXPECTED CLOUD COVER...AND CURRENT UPSTREAM TEMPERATURES FAVORED THE COOLER NAM GUIDANCE WITH UPPER 40S NORTH TO LOWER 50S SOUTH. FOR THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT...THE MODELS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT IN BRINGING A WEAK SHORTWAVE THROUGH THE NORTHWEST FLOW. GIVEN SOME QG FORCING FROM THE WAVE AND LINGERING MOISTURE...THINK SCATTERED PRECIP IS POSSIBLE AND HAVE INCREASED POPS CORRESPONDINGLY. MAIN QUESTION IS WHAT FORM WILL IT TAKE AS IT FALLS. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW SFC TEMPS HOVERING AROUND 40 FOR MOST AREAS THROUGH THE DAY THURSDAY. OTHERWISE THE COLUMN LOOKS TO BE COLD ENOUGH FOR SNOW TO DEVELOP AND CONTINUE INTO THURSDAY EVENING. EAST NORTHEAST WINDS ARE PROGGED TO PROVIDE SOME COLD AIR ADVECTION SO THINK PRECIP MAY INITIALLY START OUT AS RAIN...BUT EVAPORATION AND CAA MAY BE ENOUGH TO CHANGE IT OVER TO A MIX DURING THE AFTERNOON ACROSS THE NORTHERN COUNTIES. SINCE FORCING IS ONLY EXPECTED TO LAST FOR ABOUT SIX HOURS AND GROUND TEMPS ARE IN THE LOWER 60S...ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW SHOULD REMAIN BELOW AN INCH. LATER SHIFTS WILL WANT TO REEVALUATE THIS HOWEVER. FOR FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...A SFC RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE AREA AS A CLOSED UPPER LEVEL LOW SITS OVER THE NORTHEAST. THIS WILL ALLOW CANADIAN AIR TO FILTER SOUTH...KEEPING A DRY AND COLD AIRMASS IN PLACE. THE ECMWF AND GFS APPEAR TO BE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE PATTERN. THEREFORE SEVERAL HARD FREEZES LOOK LIKELY FOR THE END OF THE WEEK AND WEEKEND. HAVE LOWERED MIN TEMPS INTO THE MID 20S AND CONTINUED HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S THROUGH SATURDAY WITH A WARMING TREND FOR SUNDAY INTO NEXT WEEK. THE PATTERN BREAKS DOWN AND RETURN FLOW SETS UP FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK. HAVE INSERTED A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR SHOWERS MONDAY NIGHT WITH WARM AIR AND MOISTURE ADVECTING BACK NORTH. THE GFS INDICATES A PACIFIC FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE AREA ON TUESDAY. BUT THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY IN ITS SOLUTION AND SHORTWAVE ENERGY WITHIN THE WESTERLIES. KEPT SLIGHT CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR MOST AREAS ON TUESDAY WITH LOW CHANCE POPS CONFINED TO THE NORTHERN COUNTIES WERE THE INFLUENCE OF THE SHORTWAVE ENERGY IS MOST LIKELY TO BE SEEN. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && PF/WOLTERS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 359 PM CDT TUE APR 3 2007 KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-042100- REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY- POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS- WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON- 359 PM CDT TUE APR 3 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL...NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO FALL TO NEAR FREEZING ACROSS EAST CENTRAL KS...WITH BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES ANTICIPATED OVER NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY RAIN COULD CHANGE OVER TO SNOW ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS THURSDAY. THE SNOW COULD SPREAD INTO EAST CENTRAL KANSAS THURSDAY EVENING. ANY SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN AN INCH. A HARD FREEZE IS FORECAST TO OCCUR ACROSS MOST AREAS THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. THOSE WITH AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBLE KILLING FREEZES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS WILL NOT BE NEEDED TONIGHT. WOLTERS
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
23 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
The severe freeze in Douglas County wrecked havoc on early spring crops across the county. Local farmers reported that they had never before seen a late spring freeze that had ever been as damaging.
Local apple orchards across Lyon County reported almost a 100% loss after the hard late spring freeze. Plum and pear trees were also adversely affected by the freeze, and were unlikely to produce any fruit out of Northeast Kansas during the season. One farmer noted that he could not remember having a freeze of this magnitude so late in the season.
Wheat, alfalfa, and brome grass crops were all severely affected by the late season freeze across Jackson County, as reported by an agricultural agent in the county. Area nurseries and greenhouses also saw losses because of the lengthy period of cold temperatures.
Washington County was spared from some of the worst crop damage, as local wheat was not as developed as was noted at sites further south and east. In additon, low temperatures across Jackson County were slightly higher than at sites further south and east. But, 30 to 50% of local crops were damaged during the period of cold temperatures.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
Significant crop damage occurred at the beginning of April when a prolonged cold spell struck much of Northeast Kansas.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, April 2007
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: 29079, 29080, 29085, 29107, 29552, 29553, 29554, 29555, 29556, 29558, 29559, 29560, 29563, 29568, 29569, 29570, 29571, 29572, 29573, 29574, 29575, 29577, 29578.