Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed along a stalled frontal boundary over far southern Kansas during the evening hours of the 17th. Harper County received 50 to 60 mph winds and up to quarter size hail.
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 ICT wrote it up.
Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed along a stalled frontal boundary over far southern Kansas during the evening hours of the 17th. Harper County received 50 to 60 mph winds and up to quarter size hail.
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 Wichita, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 17, 5:36 PM CST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 636 PM CDT MON AUG 17 2009 .AVIATION...00Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT ARE ONGOING AT TAF ISSUANCE TIME WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO FESTER FOR A FEW MORE HOURS. MOST LIKELY TAF SITE THAT WILL BE AFFECTED IS KHUT. THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY ONGOING OVER THE TEXAS PANHANDLE AND NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA MAY DEVELOP INTO A COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS AND MOVE NORTHEAST THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA LATE TONIGHT. FOR NOW WILL KEEP VCTS IN THE FORECAST...BUT IF MODELS DO NOT CHANGE MUCH BEFORE THE 06Z ISSUANCE...WILL LIKELY MAKE A PREVAILING TSRA GROUP WITH THIS MORE ORGANIZED CONVECTION. SCHRECK && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 316 PM CDT MON AUG 17 2009/ DISCUSSION... MAIN FORECAST CONCERN WILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING TONIGHT THROUGH TUE NIGHT. SYNOPSIS: AT THE SURFACE THE FRONT...AIDED BY CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW...HAS NOW PUSHED DOWN INTO OK. ELEVATED STORMS HAVE BEEN FESTERING ALL DAY ALONG A 925-850MB THETA-E GRADIENT. IN ADDITION AN AREA OF 850MB-700MB MOISTURE CONVERGENCE HAS PERSISTED WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA ALLOWING ADDITIONAL ACTIVITY TO FESTER. IN THE UPPER LEVELS CURRENTLY HAVE A STRONG SHORTWAVE CENTERED OVER MANITOBA AND EXTENDING DOWN THROUGH THE EASTERN DAKOTAS. TONIGHT-TUE NIGHT: SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO FESTER ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING...HOWEVER THE MORE WIDESPREAD ACTIVITY WILL ARRIVE AFTER MIDNIGHT. MODELS ARE IN AGREEMENT THAT MOISTURE TRANSPORT ALONG THE 310K SURFACE WILL REALLY INCREASE AROUND 06Z OVER SW KS WHICH WILL RESULT IN MCS FORMATION WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH THIS CLUSTER OF STORMS TRACKING EAST INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. AN ADDITIONAL FACTOR THAT WILL BE IN FAVOR OF HEAVY RAIN WILL BE THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. THE GFS AND NAM DISAGREE ON THE LOCATION OF THE MCS MAINLY DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE UPPER JET MAX. HOWEVER AT THIS TIME AM LEANING TOWARD THE MORE SOUTHERLY SOLUTION OF THE NAM AND LOCAL WRF BASED ON HOW FAR SOUTH OUTFLOW HAS PUSHED THE FRONT. AS FAR AS THE FLOOD WATCH GOES...INCLUDED SE KS IN IT TO ACCOUNT FOR RAIN THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. HOWEVER BETWEEN THE 06Z-12Z TIME FRAME FEEL SW PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL HAVE THE BEST CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL. CURRENTLY HAVE THE LOWEST CONFIDENCE IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF WATCH OVERNIGHT WHICH WOULD INCLUDE THE ICT AREA. MADE SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE TUE-TUE NIGHT TIME FRAME. FIRST OFF DROPPED TEMPS QUITE A BIT FOR TUE WITH MORNING MCS ACTIVITY KEEPING THE SURFACE FRONT WELL SOUTH OF THE AREA. ALSO INCREASED PRECIP CHANCES OVERNIGHT WITH BOTH THE GFS AND NAM TRACKING ANOTHER SHORTWAVE OUT INTO THE PLAINS INCLUDING ANOTHER JET MAX WITH ITS PLACEMENT KEEPING MUCH OF THE AREA IN THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION. ONLY RAN THE FFA OUT UNTIL 18Z TUE...HOWEVER IF THE 00Z MODELS LOOK LIKE ANYTHING CLOSE TO WHAT THEY DO NOW...WOULD NEED TO EXTEND THE FFA OUT IN TIME. THEREFORE PLAN TO BRIEF THE EVENING SHIFT TO EXTEND OUT IF NEEDED. WED-THU: BOTH GFS AND NAM ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT IN TRACKING A STRONG SHORTWAVE OUT OF THE NORTHERN ROCKIES AND INTO THE MISSOURI VALLEY BY THU MORNING. THIS WILL ALLOW A FAIRLY STRONG COLD FRONT TO SWEEP ACROSS THE AREA LATE WED NIGHT INTO THU MORNING. THE BEST CHANCES FOR STORMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE WILL BE OVER EASTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA WHICH WILL BE CLOSER TO THE UPPER DYNAMICS. BY THU AFTERNOON THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO BE SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA TAKING THE BEST PRECIP CHANCES WITH IT. FRI-MON: DID NOT MAKE TOO MANY CHANGES AT ALL THROUGH THESE PERIODS. WITH THE UPPER TROUGH ENCOMPASSING MUCH OF THE EASTERN CONUS...THE FORECAST AREA WILL BE UNDER NW FLOW ALOFT THROUGH THESE PERIODS. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT WERE NOT LOOKING AT ANY TYPE OF SIGNIFICANT WARM-UP THROUGH THESE PERIODS WITH SLIGHTLY BELOW TO NEAR NORMAL TEMPS EXPECTED. IN ADDITION...WITH THE BULK OF THE UPPER ENERGY EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA NOT EXPECTING ANY DECENT CHANCES FOR PRECIP. LAWSON AVIATION...18Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU ONGOING CONVECTION CONTINUES TO CREATE DIFFICULTIES FOR THE FORECAST. A GUST FRONT ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE CONVECTION IS NOW DOWN INTO OKLAHOMA. BEHIND THIS...A MESO HIGH WITH WINDS LIGHT AND VARIABLE HAS DEVELOPED. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TODAY BUT TIMING AND STRENGTH AT EACH AIRPORT REMAINS DIFFICULT. SO...INCLUDED CB AND VCTS GROUPS IN TAF UNTIL CONFIDENCE IS HIGH ENOUGH TO PUT TIMING IN. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TONIGHT ACROSS NORTHERN OKLAHOMA BUT SHOULD NOT AFFECT THE TAF SITES. HOWEVER...A LARGE COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP AFTER 06Z ACROSS THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE/SOUTHWEST KANSAS AND WILL MOVE EAST. THIS WILL MOST LIKELY AFFECT KICT AFTER 12Z AND KCNU AROUND 18Z. CIGS AND VISBYS VFR EXCEPT IFR IN THUNDERSTORMS. KRC && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 67 80 70 89 / 70 60 60 30 HUTCHINSON 65 81 68 89 / 60 50 60 30 NEWTON 66 81 68 88 / 60 50 60 30 ELDORADO 67 81 70 88 / 60 60 60 40 WINFIELD-KWLD 68 80 72 89 / 80 60 60 30 RUSSELL 63 82 65 90 / 40 30 50 20 GREAT BEND 63 81 65 90 / 60 30 50 20 SALINA 65 81 67 88 / 50 30 50 40 MCPHERSON 65 81 67 89 / 60 40 50 30 COFFEYVILLE 69 80 72 88 / 70 60 60 40 CHANUTE 68 80 70 87 / 60 60 60 40 IOLA 68 80 70 85 / 50 50 50 40 PARSONS-KPPF 68 80 71 88 / 60 60 60 40 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOR KSZ067>072-082-083- 091>096-098>100. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 410 PM CDT MON AUG 17 2009 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-181145- RUSSELL-LINCOLN-BARTON-ELLSWORTH-SALINE-RICE-MCPHERSON-MARION-CHASE- RENO-HARVEY-BUTLER-GREENWOOD-WOODSON-ALLEN-KINGMAN-SEDGWICK-HARPER- SUMNER-COWLEY-ELK-WILSON-NEOSHO-CHAUTAUQUA-MONTGOMERY-LABETTE- 410 PM CDT MON AUG 17 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT STORMS WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD OVERNIGHT ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED WITH THIS ACTIVITY...A FEW MAY PRODUCE WINDS TO 60 MPH AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. HOWEVER THE MORE SIGNIFICANT THREAT WILL BE HEAVY RAIN OVERNIGHT AS A CLUSTER OF STORMS TRACK OUT OF WESTERN KANSAS AND INTO THE FORECAST AREA. SEE LATEST FLOOD WATCH FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY STORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECT MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS TUESDAY MORNING. PLEASE SEE LATEST FLOOD WATCH FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. ANOTHER ROUND OF STORMS IS IN THE FORECAST FOR LATE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED WITH THIS ACTIVITY...FLOODING WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE MAIN THREAT. FINALLY...ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE WEDNESDAY THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY...AS A STRONG COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE PLAINS. STRONG STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT HOWEVER ANY RAINFALL OR FLOODING REPORTS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP LAWSON
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
809 PM CDT MON AUG 17 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0808 PM HAIL SSE NASHVILLE 37.43N 98.42W
08/17/2009 E0.50 INCH KINGMAN KS TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
LFWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
821 PM CDT MON AUG 17 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0821 PM HAIL 3 NE CUNNINGHAM 37.67N 98.39W
08/17/2009 E0.50 INCH KINGMAN KS TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
LFWThe Wichita radar (KICT), 18 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:00 UTC.
1 lightning, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A teenage boy was struck by lightning in southeast Wichita during the late evening hours of the 17th. The injury was serious for a time, but the boy was later upgraded to good condition. The Wichita Eagle contributed to this report.
Small tree limbs were downed by 50 mph winds.
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, August 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: 195519, 191922.