Tornado and Hail in Kansas, June 12, 2008

Name: Tornado and Hail in Kansas, June 12, 2008
Start: 2008-06-12T19:02
End: 2008-06-12T23:10
Location: Kansas

June 12, 2008 · NWS EAX · 6 events in 4 counties and zones

Severe thunderstorms moved across the area on June 12, 2008.

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: $1,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 EAX wrote it up.

Severe thunderstorms moved across the area on June 12, 2008.

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 Kansas City, MO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 12, 6:02 PM CST, 1 hour earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 12, 6:02 PM CST, 1 hour before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
702 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

.DISCUSSION...
/409 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008/
WITH SEVERE ONGOING AND HYDRO ISSUES WILL MAKE THIS SHORT.
CONVECTION HAS BLOSSOMED WITHIN A NARROW CORRIDOR NEAR WHAT IS LEFT
OVER OF THE STATIONARY FRONT. AIRMASS JUST SOUTH OF THIS ACTIVITY IS
STILL CAPPED FOR NOW. BUT THAT WILL CHANGE. THE WARM SECTOR IS
JUICED WITH PWS OF 1.50 TO 1.75 AS EVIDENCED BY SURFACE DEWPOINTS
AVERAGING 70F. SOUTHERLY LOW LEVEL JET WILL CONTINUE TO FEED
MOISTURE INTO THE BAROCLINIC ZONE WITH THE ACTIVITY GRADUALLY
BUILDING BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST AS THE LOW LEVEL JET INTENSIFIES OVER
THE SOUTHERN PLAINS. EVENTUALLY A LINEAR MCS EXPECTED TO FORM THIS
EVENING OVER THE CWA. WILL ALSO NEED TO KEEP AN EYE OVER SOUTHERN KS
AS THE LOW LEVEL JET STRENGTHENS AND INCREASES THE MOISTURE
CONVERGENCE. MODELS FAVOR AN MCS FORMING OVER SOUTH CENTRAL OR
SOUTHEAST KS LATER THIS EVENING AND THEN TRACKING EAST-NORTHEAST OR
NORTHEAST INTO THE SOUTHERN CWA. HPC QPF SEEMS REASONABLE ALTHOUGH A
TAD HIGH FOR A BASIN AVERAGE AMOUNT. IN ANY EVENT THE TOTAL QPF IS
HIGH ENOUGH TO WARRANT A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR A LARGE PART OF THE
CWA.

CONVECTION WILL BE ONGOING FRIDAY MORNING OVER THE SOUTHEAST 1/3 OF
THE CWA WITH THE ACTIVITY LIKELY EXITING BY EARLY AFTERNOON. CLOUD
COVER AND RAIN-COOLED AIR WILL LIMIT SURFACE HEATING OVER THE
SOUTHEAST CWA AND FORECAST MAX TEMPERATURES MAY BE OVERLY
OPTIMISTIC.

MJ

&&

MEDIUM RANGE (SATURDAY-THURSDAY)...

THE PREVAILING PATTERN FOR THE WEEKEND AND THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WORK
WEEK WILL BE DOMINATED BY AN UPPER LEVEL LOW THAT WILL BE SLOWLY
SPINNING ITS WAY EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN CANADA INTO THE NEW ENGLAND
REGION. THIS WILL INDUCE A NORTHWEST FLOW ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
FOR THE WEEKEND AND NEXT WEEK AS AN AMPLIFYING RIDGE TO BEGINS TO
BUILD ACROSS THE WESTERN CONUS. THIS BUILDING RIDGE WILL ALLOW
TEMPERATURES TO RANGE THROUGH THE 80S ACROSS THE FORECAST REGION
THIS THE WEEKEND.

AT THE TAIL END OF THE WEEKEND THE MID RANGE MODEL SOLUTIONS FROM
BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF ARE POINTING AT A SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH
THAT WILL PUSH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY SOUTH INTO MISSOURI SUNDAY
AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. ECMWF IS MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH THE FRONTS
PROGRESS ACROSS THE REGION COMPARED TO THE GFS. HOWEVER...THE GFS IS
THE PREFERRED MODEL AT THIS TIME AS THE TROUGH AXIS STRETCHING SOUTH
FORM CANADA WILL BE TO OUR EAST...SPEAKING MORE TO LAYING UP THE
FRONT PARALLEL TO THE NORTHWEST FLOW SLOWING PROGRESS. MOISTURE
RETURN WILL BE A KEY POINT OF CONTENTION AS THE FRONT THAT PUSHING
SOUTH FRIDAY WILL TAKE WITH SOME OF THE AVAILABLE MOISTURE.
HOWEVER...AT THIS TIME IT DOES LOOK POSSIBLE THAT THE RETURNING
SOUTHWEST FLOW SUNDAY ABOVE THE INTRUDING FRONT COULD ADVECT IN
ENOUGH MOISTURE TO MAKE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE. HAVE CONTINUED TO
CARRY A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA FOR
SUNDAY NIGHT AS A RESULT. TIMING WILL BE AN EVOLVING ISSUE OVER THE
UPCOMING DAYS...SO THE START AND STOP OF THE FORECAST THUNDERSTORM
ACTIVITY COULD MOVE INTO THE DAY SUNDAY OR BE DELAYED INTO MONDAY.

OTHERWISE...HAVE KEPT TEMPERATURES AT OR JUST BELOW NORMAL FOR
MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS THE PREVAILING FLOW STILL LOOKS TO BE
FROM THE NORTHWEST...KEEPING A SLIGHTLY COOLER NORTHERN PLAINS
AIRMASS IN PLACE ACROSS THE LOWER MISSOURI RIVER VALLEY. THURSDAY
SHOULD SEE TEMPERATURES AROUND NORMAL AS A WEST CONUS RIDGE SHIFTS
EAST INTO THE PLAINS.

CUTTER

&&

.AVIATION...

FOR THE 00Z TAFS...POTENTIALLY SEVERE STORM WILL BE PASSING NEAR OR
OVER THE KANSAS CITY AIRPORTS BETWEEN 730 AND 830 PM. WILL TREAT IT
WITH A TEMPO GROUP AT THIS POINT. SHOULD SEE A PUSH ON THE FRONT TO
THE SOUTH BY LATE EVENING AS A SURFACE HIGH WEDGES INTO NORTHERN
MISSOURI. NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION WE COULD GET SOME REDEVELOPMENT
BACK TO THE NORTH OF THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY LATE TONIGHT AS AN UPPER
SHORT WAVE MOVES INTO EASTERN KANSAS. CONFIDENCE LOW....SO WILL ONLY
PROB30 IT FOR NOW.

PC

&&

.EAX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 PM THURSDAY TO 1 PM FRIDAY FOR MOZ007-
     MOZ008-MOZ014-MOZ015-MOZ016-MOZ017-MOZ021-MOZ022-MOZ023-
     MOZ024-MOZ025-MOZ028-MOZ029-MOZ030-MOZ031-MOZ032-MOZ033-
     MOZ037-MOZ038-MOZ039-MOZ040-MOZ043-MOZ044-MOZ045-MOZ046-
     MOZ053-MOZ054.

KS...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM 7 PM THURSDAY TO 1 PM FRIDAY FOR KSZ057-
     KSZ060-KSZ103-KSZ104-KSZ105.

Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 12, 12:07 PM CST, 6 hours 55 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
107 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

KSZ025-057-060-102>105-MOZ001>008-011>017-020>025-028>033-037>040-
043>046-053-054-131815-
ATCHISON KS-MIAMI-LINN KS-DONIPHAN-LEAVENWORTH-WYANDOTTE-
JOHNSON KS-ATCHISON MO-NODAWAY-WORTH-GENTRY-HARRISON-MERCER-
PUTNAM-SCHUYLER-HOLT-ANDREW-DE KALB-DAVIESS-GRUNDY-SULLIVAN-ADAIR-
BUCHANAN-CLINTON-CALDWELL-LIVINGSTON-LINN MO-MACON-PLATTE-CLAY-
RAY-CARROLL-CHARITON-RANDOLPH-JACKSON-LAFAYETTE-SALINE-HOWARD-
CASS-JOHNSON MO-PETTIS-COOPER-BATES-HENRY-
107 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHWEST...NORTH CENTRAL
AND WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI...AS WELL AS EXTREME EASTERN KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A WEAK AND NEARLY STATIONARY FRONT FROM NORTH OF WICHITA TO JUST
NORTH OF KANSAS CITY AND THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL IOWA WILL REMAIN THE
FOCUS FOR NEW THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. A NARROW BAND OF SCATTERED
SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS FROM KANSAS CITY TO NEAR
KIRKSVILLE WILL LIKELY INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY DURING THE
AFTERNOON HOURS. THE COMBINATION OF A MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIRMASS
ALONG AND EAST OF THE FRONT...A FAVORABLE WIND PROFILE...AND
CONSIDERABLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL FAVOR STRONG TO ISOLATED SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE THIS EVENING. LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
FLASH FLOODING WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. HOWEVER...THERE WILL BE
SUFFICIENT TURNING OF THE WINDS IN THE LOW LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE
THAT A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE.

LATER TONIGHT THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A LARGE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX
TO FORM OVER SOUTH CENTRAL OR SOUTHEAST KANSAS THAT WOULD TRACK
NORTHEAST INTO WEST CENTRAL MISSOURI. SHOULD THIS SYSTEM FORM VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL WOULD BE LIKELY WITH AREAS GENERALLY SOUTH OF A KANSAS
CITY TO MACON LINE HAVING THE HIGHEST POTENTIAL OF RECEIVING 1 TO 2
INCH RAINS WITH LOCAL AMOUNTS IN EXCESS OF 3 INCHES POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ONGOING FRIDAY MORNING OVER AREAS
SOUTH OF THE MISSOURI RIVER. WHILE THE THREAT FOR LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE QUITE LOW...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE
POSSIBLE. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO EXIT THE FORECAST AREA
FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

THERE REMAINS A THREAT OF THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY NIGHT. AT THIS
TIME...IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE WHETHER ANY OF THE STORMS WILL BE
SEVERE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING SOUTHEAST
OF A KANSAS CITY TO PRINCETON LINE.

MJ

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 12, 4:54 PM CST, 2 hours 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
554 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

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

0540 PM     HAIL             1 W LANCASTER           40.52N 92.55W
06/12/2008  E1.00 INCH       SCHUYLER           MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

SFORTIN

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 5:30 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
630 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

MOZ013-020-021-130000-
BUCHANAN-CLINTON-DE KALB-
630 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BUCHANAN...NORTHWESTERN CLINTON AND
SOUTHWESTERN DEKALB COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

AT 628 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR AGENCY...OR 9 MILES SOUTHEAST OF ELWOOD...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  CLARKSDALE AND STEWARTSVILLE BY 650 PM CDT.

THE TOWNS OF FAUCETT AND EASTON ARE ALSO IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.

PENNY SIZE HAIL IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

MJ

Local storm report, Jun 12, 6:24 PM CST, 38 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
724 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

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

0724 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     2 W CAMERON             39.74N 94.27W
06/12/2008                   DEKALB             MO   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

&&

SFORTIN

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 6:27 PM CST, 35 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
727 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

MOZ014-022-130100-
CALDWELL-DAVIESS-
727 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR NORTHWESTERN CALDWELL AND
SOUTHWESTERN DAVIESS COUNTIES UNTIL 800 PM CDT...

AT 722 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CAMERON...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  HAMILTON BY 745 PM CDT.

THE TOWN OF KIDDER IS ALSO IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.

FUNNEL-LIKE CLOUD FEATURES HAVE BEEN REPORTED NEAR CAMERON AND THIS
IS LIKELY ASSOCIATED WITH A WELL DEFINED GUST FRONT OBSERVED ON
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AND KANSAS CITY AIRPORT DOPPLER RADARS.
FUNNEL CLOUDS AND TORNADIC DEVELOPMENT IS NOT EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

BOOKBINDER

Special weather statement, Jun 12, 6:36 PM CST, 26 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
736 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

KSZ103>105-MOZ028-130100-
JOHNSON-LEAVENWORTH-PLATTE-WYANDOTTE-
736 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR NORTHWESTERN JOHNSON...SOUTHERN
LEAVENWORTH...SOUTHERN PLATTE AND WYANDOTTE COUNTIES UNTIL 800 PM
CDT...

AT 732 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTH OF WILLIAMSTOWN...OR 5 MILES WEST
OF LAWRENCE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM ACROSS PORTIONS OF DOUGLAS COUNTY. PEOPLE
IN JOHNSON...LEAVENWORTH...PLATTE AND WYANDOTTE COUNTIES...INCLUDING
THE CITY OF TONGANOXIE...SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION
CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE
APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN.

DEROCHE

Local storm report, Jun 12, 7:02 PM CST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
802 PM CDT THU JUN 12 2008

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

0802 PM     HAIL             TONGANOXIE              39.11N 95.08W
06/12/2008  E1.00 INCH       LEAVENWORTH        KS   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

21

The radar

The Pleasant Hill radar (KEAX), 78 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 hail, 1 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Leavenworth

When: June 12, 7:02 PM CST
Where: Leavenworth County, 0.69 mi S of Tonganoxie
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 39.110, -95.080

Tornado, Leavenworth

When: June 12, 7:05 PM CST to 7:06 PM CST
Where: Leavenworth County, 3.56 mi SSW of Basehor to 3.45 mi SSW of Basehor
Rating: EF0
Path length: 0.16 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 39.087, -94.966

Brief EF0 tornado touchdown on open country near 166th and Kansas Avenue at 1905CST. No damage reported.

Hail, Leavenworth

When: June 12, 7:16 PM CST
Where: Leavenworth County, Basehor
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 39.130, -94.930

Hail, Wyandotte

When: June 12, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Wyandotte County, 0.54 mi E of Wolcott
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 39.180, -94.810

Hail, Miami

When: June 12, 9:08 PM CST
Where: Miami County, 1.08 mi W of Hillsdale
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.670, -94.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Linn

When: June 12, 11:10 PM CST
Where: Linn County, 0.54 mi W of Pleasanton
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 38.180, -94.710

Metal roof blown off business on main Street. Power lines were also downed.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kansas in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Kansas, 2008 Warnings in Kansas, June 2008

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: 112598, 112619, 112599, 112623, 112622, 112621.