Robust convection developed ahead of and along a strong cold front that slowly moved through the central plains states. A copious amount of moisture in place across the region, and continually streaming northward from the Gulf of Mexico made for efficient rainfall producing thunderstorms.
Every event with a place to put it. 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.
Robust convection developed ahead of and along a strong cold front that slowly moved through the central plains states. A copious amount of moisture in place across the region, and continually streaming northward from the Gulf of Mexico made for efficient rainfall producing thunderstorms. Flash flooding was noted at several locations across east central and northeast Kansas where up to 5.5 inches of rain fell in a few hour period. Street flooding was reported at numerous locations, but standing water in roadways was typically less than 6 inches deep. Rainfall rates up to two inches per hour were noted by trained observers with rain gauges. Storm total rainfall amounts of three to four inches were common across much of the area. Notable amounts from trained observers include 4.10 inches seven miles west-northwest of Paxico (Wabaunsee County), 4.15 inches three miles east-northeast of Belvue (Pottawatomie County), 4.10 inches in Silver Lake (Shawnee County), 4.60 inches five miles east of Emmett (Jackson County), 5.00 inches seven miles northwest of Hoyt (Jackson County). A water rescue was performed in the city of Topeka, and a second near Paxico in Wabaunsee County. No deaths or injuries were reported.
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 26, 2:16 PM CST, 4 hours 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 316 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009 .DISCUSSION... LEAD 5H TROUGH LIFTING NORTHEAST ACROSS WESTERN NE AND WILL CAUSE THE COLD FRONT TO PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL KS THIS EVENING. A STRONG 45 KT 850MB JET CONTINUES TO ADVECT DEEP GULF MOISTURE NORTHWARD ACROSS EASTERN KS. THE CLOUD COVER HAS PREVENTED STRONGER SFC HEATING THIS AFTERNOON THUS SFC BASED CAPES WERE ONLY IN THE 800 TO 1200 J/KG RANGE. BULK 0-6KM SHEAR RANGED FROM 35 KTS ACROSS THE WESTERN COUNTIES TO OVER 50 KTS ACROSS THE EASTERN COUNTIES. THOUGH 18Z SOUNDING SHOWED A BIT OF AN EML AROUND 850MB. IF THE ASCENT INCREASES LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING THEN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AND THE ENVIRONMENT WOULD BE FAVORABLE FOR SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE LINE OF STRONG STORMS IN THE WESTERN COUNTIES OF THE CWA. THE LOW-LEVEL WINDS MAY VEER AHEAD OF THE SFC FRONT...THUS LOW-LEVEL SHEAR PROFILES MAY NOT BE TOO FAVORABLE FOR TORNADOES...BUT IF ISOLATED SUPERCELLS DO DEVELOP THERE IS ALWAYS A CHANCE FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES. THE MAIN THREAT TONIGHT WILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL...THE FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA AND THE SLOW MOVING SQUALL LINE MAY LEAD TO HIGH RAINFALL AMOUNTS ACROSS THE EASTERN TWO THIRDS OF THE CWA. THE ISENTROPIC LIFT WILL ALSO INCREASE NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY AS IT SLIPS SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE NIGHT. WE COULD HAVE SEVERAL ROUNDS OF ELEVATED THUNDERSTORMS AND HEAVY RAINFALL NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. I WILL KEEP THE FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH 700 AM CDT MONDAY MORNING. MONDAY THE MAIN 5H TROUGH WILL LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS NE INTO IA AND BRING AN END TO THE PRECIP THROUGH THE LATE MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. A SFC RIDGE WILL BUILD SOUTH ACROSS CENTRAL KS AND SKIES SHOULD CLEAR DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE CWA. TUESDAY THROUGH THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD...I DID NOT MAKE TOO MANY CHANGES...AND POPULATED WITH HPC DATA DUE TO SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS. ANOTHER 5H TROUGH WILL LIFT NORTHEAST INTO THE PLAINS BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TOWARDS THE MIDDLE AND END OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION... CONVECTION TIMING IS THE MAIN QUESTION. NEXT FEW-SEVERAL HOURS MAY BE THE MOST CONVECTIVE-FREE TIME AFTER SUNRISE MONDAY GIVEN LATEST RADAR TRENDS...AND APPROACH OF FRONT AND UPPER WAVE LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. HAVE HIT EVENING HOURS THE HARDEST AT THIS POINT THINKING STORMS TO THE SOUTHWEST SHOULD PERSIST. HEAVIER PRECIPITATION WOULD LIKELY BRING CONDITIONS BELOW MVFR...BUT CONFIDENCE IN TIMING IS TOO LOW AT THIS TIME FOR THIS DEGREE OF RESTRICTION. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 7 AM MONDAY FOR KSZ009-KSZ010-KSZ011-KSZ012- KSZ021-KSZ022-KSZ023-KSZ024-KSZ026-KSZ035-KSZ036-KSZ037-KSZ038- KSZ039-KSZ040-KSZ054-KSZ055-KSZ056-KSZ058-KSZ059. && GARGAN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 344 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009 KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-272045- REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY- POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS- WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON- 344 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL...NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO MAY ALSO OCCUR. THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD BY TONIGHT AND SPREAD EAST INTO NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL KANSAS. THE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF SEVERE WEATHER INTO THE EVENING AND WIDESPREAD FLASH FLOODING WILL BECOME A GREATER HAZARD AS THESE STORMS PRODUCE SEVERAL ROUNDS OF HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD COME TO AN END FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE DAY MONDAY. RIVER FLOODING COULD OCCUR AS WATER LEVELS RISE FROM OVERNIGHT RAINFALL. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY OVER THE ENTIRE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
537 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0535 PM HAIL 4 SE JUNCTION CITY 38.99N 96.78W
04/26/2009 E0.75 INCH GEARY KS EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
MRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
540 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0539 PM HAIL 3 E HERINGTON 38.66N 96.89W
04/26/2009 E0.50 INCH MORRIS KS TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
MRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
554 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0549 PM HAIL 3 NW MANHATTAN 39.21N 96.61W
04/26/2009 E0.88 INCH RILEY KS TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
MRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
601 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0545 PM TSTM WND GST MANHATTAN 39.18N 96.57W
04/26/2009 M54 MPH RILEY KS ASOS
&&
MRCSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 705 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009 KSZ012-270030- BROWN- 705 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BROWN COUNTY... THROUGH 730 PM CDT...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AT 40 MPH ACROSS PORTIONS OF BROWN COUNTY. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING STRONG WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH. SOME LOCATIONS THAT COULD BE AFFECTED INCLUDE ROBINSON...EVEREST...AND IOWA SAC AND FOX RESERVATION. A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
738 PM CDT SUN APR 26 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0732 PM TSTM WND GST 2 SSW BURDICK 38.54N 96.86W
04/26/2009 E70 MPH MORRIS KS TRAINED SPOTTER
LOST POWER
&&
BYRNEThe Topeka radar (KTWX), 37 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:39 UTC.
10 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Six inches of water reported to be flowing over 106th Road between G and H Roads.
Police officers reported locations along and near Hwy 99. Notably, several inches of water was reported to be flowing over Hwy 18 just west of it's intersection with Hwy 99. Water was also reported to be flowing over several portions of Hwy 99 near Alma, and on Paxico Road near Newberry.
Several reports of flash flooding in the city of Topeka. At the intersection of 29th and Kansas, a car was reported to be floating in the roadway as a result of high water in the intersection. It's estimated that the depth of water in the intersection was two feet. Water rescue teams were dispatched to the scene, but no injuries or deaths were reported.
Several police officers in the field relayed to dispatch locations where flash flooding occurred. First, water up to four feet deep was reported to be running over Solomon Road one mile north of K-4 Highway. Officers in the town of Hope reported water several inches deep running over K-4 Highway. North of town, several locations along Highway 43 were also reported to have water flowing over the roadway.
Water reported to be running over K Road between 118 and 126 Roads rendering the roadways impassable.
Water reported to be running over Hwy 24 one mile west of St. Mary's rendering the roadway impassable.
One foot of water reported to be running over portions of Cedar Street in the town of Perry.
Water reported to be running over the intersection of 82nd and Meriden Roads, rendering the roadway impassable.
Water rescue completed one and a half miles east of Kansas Hwy-99. A person was trapped in their vehicle due to flash flood waters. Neither a death or injury was reported.
Several reports of flash flooding on roadways in Riley County. Closures due to high running water were noted on Eureka Drive and Roever Road north of the Manhattan Regional Airport, as well as along Skyway Drive and Airport Road to the southeast of the Manhattan Airport runways. Near Ogden, Honeydew Lane on the northeast side of town was inundated by flash flood waters.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, April 2009
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: 168012, 167981, 168021, 167973, 167997, 167986, 168004, 168011, 168022, 168249.