Flash Flooding and Hail in Kansas, June 2, 2008

Trained spotters along the path of this cell reported between penny and quareter size hail.

Hail from half dollar to golf ball size was reported along the path by several trained spotters. The hail nearly covered the ground in several spots.

Hail up to the size of golfballs fell along the path, as reported by two spotters.

Hail from half dollar to golf ball size was reported along the storm's path.

Hail from the size of a quarter to the size of a golfball was reported along the path of the storm by several storm spotters.

Hail the size of quarters began to fall, and quickly increased in size to three and a half inches in diameter.

Trained spotters and law enforcement officials across Clay Center called as hail quickly grew from one and a half inches in diameter the size of golfballs, to tennis balls, and finally to three and a half inches in diameter. The city of Clay Center, and local newspapers relayed numerous reports of damage. The large hail backed up storm sewers, which lead to flash flooding in the city. Homes and farm buildings were damaged. Vehicles, especially windshields also suffered fairly extensive damage.

State Climatologist reported golfball size hail. Several glass panes at the Kansas State University greenhouse complex were broken.

The first few reports of large hail began to trickle in along this path. The hail was generally reported to be in the quarter to golf ball size range at during this period of time. Approximiately twenty five vehicles were damaged at Fort Riley by quarter size hail.

A spotter reported that 1.37 inches of rain had fallen in the past hour.

Softball size hail demolished 98% of the cars parked at the Manhattan Regional Airport. Dents were also noted in the terminal building, and a stone hangar had it's windows blown out. Car dealerships and car rental facilities near the airport also report extreme damage to nearly every vehicle on the lot. Several hundred vehicles in the Manhattan Corporate Technology Park were severely dented by the large hail stones, and nary a car was left without having at least one window smashed. At the Auth-Florence Manufacturing Co. approximtely 250 employee cars were deemed total losses as a result of the hail. The hail between the size of baseballs, near Keats, and softballs, across the southwestern portion of Manhattan fell for nearly twenty minutes. Hail up to one and a quarter inches in diamter was reported across portions of the west side of the city of Manhattan. The homes in Random Woods looked to have suffered the most damage. It was reported by the local newspaper that several motorists were injured on K-18. These motorist had glass fly into their eyes when their windshields shattered as the hail fell. An exact number was not available.

Preliminary damage estimates were around $5,000,000- most of which was damage to vehicles.

Water was reported to be flowing over roadways across portions of Cloud County east of Concordia, including near the intersections of 160th and Union, 260th and Milo, and 145th and Teal. Local newspapers reported that portions of north Broadway Street experieced damage as a result of the flood waters. Just over two inches of rain fell in Concordia.

Hail slightly larger than quarters fell and dented vehicles in both Osage City and Olivet.

Law enforcement officials and public reports of one and three quarter to three inch diameter hail were recieved at the NWS-Topeka. It was noted that some of the large stones were donut shaped. Vehicles left outside received extensive damage. Windshields were shattered along the path of this cell, and extensive vehical body damage was noted. Shingle damage was also noted at numerous homes and barns.

Law enforcement and trained spotters reported hail from the size of walnuts to the size of golfballs.

A report of a measured four inch hailstone that fell in the town of Alma.

Highway 24 was closed between the city of Clay Center and Indian Road because of high water over the roadway. Within the city of Clay Center, large hail effectively backed up the storm sewer system. This lead to extensive flash flooding, particularly downtown. There were several unconfirmed reports in the local newspaper of hour inches of rain in town in just a few hours.

Several homes along this path were significantly damaged by the softball size hail, specifically those nearest Hwy 31. There were also reports that one to two thousand acres of crops were significantly damaged.

Trained spotters reported hail from the size of quarters to the size of golfballs.

Water was reported over roadways at several points in Riley County, including along Union Road and Anderson Avenue. Crooked Creek was also reported to have risen out of it's banks, and was flowing over roadways. A trained spotter on the far western side of Manhattan measured two and a half inches of rain in less than a two hour period.

Media and trained spotters reported hail from the size of pennies to the size of ping pong balls in Maple Hill.

Hail from the size of quarters to the size of baseballs was reported by the EM and trained spotters.

A woman went out for a walk just before ten in the morning , right after the rain associated with severe thunderstorm ended. She stopped in her yard to pick a weed. Meanwhile, a lightning bolt struck the house across the street, and was felt by her. The bolt left a hole in the roof of the home, and blew several shingles onto the ground. The woman had an elevated blood pressure, and was taken to a local hospital. She was sore for several days after the strike.

A sixty by eighty foot metal shed was blown down. Tree damage was also reported.

Thunderstorm winds knocked over a large tree onto Hwy 24 in Shawnee County, northwest of Topeka. Traffic needed to be diverted, for the tree was so large it needed to be cut into pieces before it could be removed from the highway.

The Kansas Highway Patrol and amateur radio reported a 60 to 70 mph wind gust along this path.

High water from heavy rain had accumulated enough to float cars at the Fairlawn Mall at 21st and Fairlawn. The spillway near the mall was also overflowing as a result of the heavy rain. Further east, standing water over the roadway along the 1800 block of SW Clay Road and floating trash cans were reported. Spotters reported that one and a half to two and a half inches of rain fell in less than an hour.

Hail up to the size of golfballs was reported to have fallen in Garnett. Windows, of both homes and cars, were broken, the siding of several homes in town was damaged, and numerous vehicles came away with large dents. There were also sporadic reports of crop damage.

A trained spotter and public person each reported wind gusts up to 80mph.

A swath of hail up to two inches in diameter at two locations was reported by several spotters.

Several intersections in the city of Lawrence were closed as a result of high water over roadways as a result of the heavy rainfall. Spotters reported that between one and two inches of rain fell in a twenty to forty minute period. There were reports of several vehicle accidents caused by the high water over roadways. No injuries were noted.

A barn built in 1912, and considered to be a historical barn in Kansas was blown down by thunderstorm winds. The barn may have been prefabricated in Texas, before being transported to just outside of Ottawa.

Tree limbs up to 15 inches in diameter reported down.

The Ottawa Herald narrated three thunderstorm wind damage reports along the path of this cell through the city of Ottawa. The first story, at the beginning of the damage path, lightning struck a tree which was then blown onto a vehicle sitting in a driveway with two passengers inside. The tree also took down powerlines. A tree was also blown down at another residence, which crushed the resident's gas line. A third story noted that a ten inch diameter tree fell on and crushed the hood of a car.

Spotter reported that a corner of his roof had been torn off. Twelve to fifteen trees up to fifteen inches in diameter were reported to have been uprooted. Power poles were snapped and lying along Highway 59. The spotter's neighbor had a 24 inch diameter tree uprooted.

Two spotter reports of 70 mph winds. Damage was occuring at both locations, with 4 to 5 inch diameter tree limbs reported down.

Three trees damaged at the spotter's residence.

Highway 24 at Williamstown was closed due to flooding. High, running water was reported over the roadway.

A spotter in Ottawa reported that they had received approximately two inches of rain in thirty minutes. This led to flash flooding across portions of Franklin County. Flash flooding was reported near the intersection of I-35 and Sand Creek Road. There were widespread washouts of gravel county roadways. Part of the roof of the Bank of America building in Ottawa collapsed, which allowed water to pour into the building. Cornfields were also inundated with water.