Hail and Damaging Wind in Kansas, May 4, 2007

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Kansas, May 4, 2007
Start: 2007-05-04T22:35
End: 2007-05-04T23:50
Location: Kansas

May 4, 2007 · NWS GLD · 7 events in 3 counties and zones

An upper level trough approaching from the west generated strong to severe thunderstorms during the evening hours across northeast Colorado and western Kansas.

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: 7

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 happened

The episode as NWS GLD wrote it up.

An upper level trough approaching from the west generated strong to severe thunderstorms during the evening hours across northeast Colorado and western Kansas.

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 4, 2:05 PM CST, 8 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 4, 2:05 PM CST, 8 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
205 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2007

.DISCUSSION...FOCUS OF THE FORECAST REMAINS ON POTENTIAL SEVERE
WEATHER OUTBREAK THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS THEN
AGAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT-MONDAY NIGHT)

TONIGHT...WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT. SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP ALONG IT AND MOVE TOWARD THE NORTH.
SEVERE STORMS EXPECTED AS NOSE OF 80+KT UPPER JET MOVES INTO THE
AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST AS UPPER LOW AND ASSOCIATED TROUGH MOVE
INTO WESTERN COLORADO. LOW LEVEL CLOUDINESS AND FOG WILL REDEVELOP
AS BOUNDARY LAYER RESATURATES. WILL NEED TO ADD MENTION OF FOG.

SATURDAY/SATURDAY NIGHT...LARGE PORTION OF UPPER LOW LIFTS
NORTHEAST INTO NORTHEAST CO/EASTERN WY CREATING AN ELONGATED UPPER
LOW AND ASSOCIATED TROUGH. SURFACE LOW REMAINS NEARLY STATIONARY
OVER FAR NORTH CENTRAL KS/SOUTH CENTRAL NE WITH A COLD FRONT
TRAILING THE LOW THROUGH THE CENTRAL OR EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE
TRI-STATE AREA. EXPECT ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS
GIVEN MODEST INSTABILITY/LITTLE INHIBITION/INCREASING UPPER JET
AND FAVORABLE UPPER DIVERGENCE. DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS DRY
SLOT WORKS INTO THE AREA. CURRENT THINKING IS BEST CHANCE OF
PRECIP WILL EXIST OVER THE FAR EASTERN CWA OVERNIGHT.

SUNDAY/SUNDAY NIGHT...WILL TREND TOWARD THE RUC13/GFS/ENSEMBLE SFC
SOLUTION WHICH PUSHES A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE ENTIRE AREA VS THE
NAM WHICH PUSHES THROUGH HALF OF THE AREA BY DAYS END. THE UPPER
PATTERN ISNT MUCH CLEARER WITH THE LARGE UPPER TROUGH AND/OR
TROUGH AXIS LINGERING ACROSS THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS. LOW
CONFIDENCE TEMP/POP/WX FORECAST AS THE DETAILS VARY BETWEEN THE
MODS. WILL HAVE HIGH CHANCE POPS DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH
TEMPERATURES GENERALLY IN THE 60S...MAYBE 70 OUT EAST.

MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT...UPPER TROUGH AXIS EXTENDS FROM THE NORTHERN
PLAINS SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE HIGH PLAINS INTO THE SOUTHWEST STATES
WITH AMPLIFIED UPPER RIDGE AXIS ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY AND
CALIFORNIA THROUGH MONTANA REGIONS. WILL CARRY SOME SLIGHT
CHANCE/LOW CHANGE POPS PER HPC GUIDANCE.

.LONG TERM (TUESDAY-FRIDAY)

MONDAYS UPPER TROUGH MOVES THROUGH THE AREA TUESDAY WITH SHORT
RANGE RIDGING BUILDING IN BEHIND FOR WEDNESDAY. FOR THURSDAY AND
FRIDAY BROAD UPPER LEVEL RIDGING TAKES HOLD OVER THE AREA.

TEMPERATURES SLOWLY WARM THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH HIGHS BY FRIDAY
IN THE LOW 80S. LITTLE IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION CHANCES AT THIS
TIME.

&&

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

DDT

Hazardous weather outlook, May 4, 10:46 AM CST, 11 hours 49 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1046 AM MDT FRI MAY 4 2007

COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-051530-
YUMA-KIT CARSON-CHEYENNE CO-CHEYENNE KS-RAWLINS-DECATUR-NORTON-
SHERMAN-THOMAS-SHERIDAN-GRAHAM-WALLACE-LOGAN-GOVE-GREELEY-WICHITA-
DUNDY-HITCHCOCK-RED WILLOW-
1046 AM MDT FRI MAY 4 2007 /1146 AM CDT FRI MAY 4 2007/

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER ACROSS THE TRI STATE
REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE
DEVELOPS OVER THE AREA.

SKIES WILL GRADUALLY CLEAR THIS AFTERNOON ALLOWING FOR AN UNSTABLE
AIRMASS TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA. A DEVELOPING SURFACE LOW WILL
FORCE A WARM FRONT NORTH ACROSS THE AREA OVERNIGHT...PROVIDING THE
FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORMS. STRONG WIND SHEAR WILL COMBINE WITH
INSTABILITY TO ALLOW THUNDERSTORMS TO RAPIDLY BECOME SEVERE LATE
THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT. TORNADOES AND VERY LARGE HAIL
WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREAT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT.

IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER...HEAVY RAIN WILL BE
POSSIBLE AS STORMS BEGIN TO TRACK OVER THE SAME
LOCATIONS....BRINGING THE POSSIBILITY OF LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER EAST OF A LINE FROM
OBERLIN TO GOVE KANSAS SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT AND A SLIGHT
RISK WEST OF THAT LINE FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE TRI-STATE AREA.
SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS WITH FAVORABLE SHEAR PROFILES WILL BE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES.

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY. AT THIS TIME THE MAIN THREAT APPEARS TO BE CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE
EVENING.

JRM/FS

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 4, 6:29 PM CST, 4 hours 6 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
629 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2007

COZ091-050100-
KIT CARSON COUNTY-
629 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2007

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ALERT FOR KIT CARSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO...

AT 626 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES SOUTH OF FLAGLER...OR 35 MILES EAST OF
LIMON...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE.

THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 70 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 391 AND 408.

MENTZER

Local storm report, May 4, 6:49 PM CST, 3 hours 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
649 PM MDT FRI MAY 04 2007

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

0647 PM     HAIL             FLAGLER                 39.29N 103.07W
05/04/2007  M0.88 INCH       KIT CARSON         CO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

BOYD

Special weather statement, May 4, 6:59 PM CST, 3 hours 36 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
659 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2007

COZ090-091-050130-
KIT CARSON COUNTY-YUMA COUNTY-
659 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2007

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ALERT FOR KIT CARSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO AND YUMA
COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...

AT 654 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF SEIBERT...OR 35 MILES WEST
OF BURLINGTON...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

NICKEL SIZE HAIL IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 36 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 182 AND 192.

MENTZER

Special weather statement, May 4, 7:29 PM CST, 3 hours 6 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
729 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2007

COZ090-050200-
YUMA COUNTY-
729 PM MDT FRI MAY 4 2007

...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ALERT FOR YUMA COUNTY IN NORTHEAST COLORADO...

AT 725 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR COPE...OR 37 MILES NORTHWEST OF
BURLINGTON...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE.

THIS INCLUDES HIGHWAY 36 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 181 AND 189.

MENTZER

Local storm report, May 4, 10:15 PM CST, 20 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1015 PM MDT FRI MAY 04 2007

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

1013 PM     HAIL             YUMA                    40.12N 102.72W
05/04/2007  M1.00 INCH       YUMA               CO   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

CFOLTZ

The radar

The Goodland radar (KGLD), 131 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:36 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Gove

When: May 4, 10:35 PM CST
Where: Gove County, Quinter
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 39.070, -100.230

Hail, Graham

When: May 4, 10:35 PM CST
Where: Graham County, Bogue
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.370, -99.700

Hail, Graham

When: May 4, 10:40 PM CST
Where: Graham County, 7 mi SSE of Hill City
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 39.276, -99.800

Hail, Norton

When: May 4, 11:00 PM CST
Where: Norton County, 17 mi E of Lenora
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.600, -99.681

Report relayed via CoCoRaHS program.

Hail, Norton

When: May 4, 11:35 PM CST to 11:50 PM CST
Where: Norton County, 1 mi E of Norton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.830, -99.861

CoCoRaHS Observer. Hail lasted intermittently for 15 minutes.

Thunderstorm Wind, Norton

When: May 4, 11:45 PM CST
Where: Norton County, Norton
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.830, -99.880

Hail, Norton

When: May 4, 11:45 PM CST
Where: Norton County, Norton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.830, -99.880

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 2007 Every state in 2007 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, May 2007

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: 22495, 22507, 22509, 22525, 22522, 22512, 22514.