A strong low pressure area moved rapidly from the panhandle of Texas across much of Kansas into Eastern Nebraska on February 9th, 2009. Clearing skies after this system moved across Central and South Central Kansas lead to high winds as this system moved northeast of the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
A strong low pressure area moved rapidly from the panhandle of Texas across much of Kansas into Eastern Nebraska on February 9th, 2009. Clearing skies after this system moved across Central and South Central Kansas lead to high winds as this system moved northeast of the area.
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 Feb 9, 11:23 AM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 1123 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 .AVIATION...18Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL ACROSS THE REGION DURING THE NEXT 24HRS...HOWEVER VERY STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL AFFECT ALL TERMINALS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS AND SHOULD GRADUALLY WEAKEN AFTER SUNSET. JAKUB && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 952 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009/ UPDATE... WINDS ARE RAPIDLY INCREASING AT THE SURFACE ACROSS THE REGION AS STRONG DYNAMICS WITH-IN THE MID-LEVEL DRY SLOT ROTATES NORTHEAST INTO KANSAS THIS MORNING. DEEP MIXING OF DRIER AIR OVER SOUTHWEST KANSAS AND THE TEXAS PANHANDLE WILL EXPAND EASTWARD INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN KANSAS BY THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL CAUSE THE WET GRASSLAND AREAS TO QUICKLY DRY OUT...AND COMBINATION OF VERY STRONG WINDS AND LOWERING RELATIVE HUMIDITIES MAKE CURRENT RED FLAG WARNING PRACTICAL. IN ADDITION...VERY DEEP DRY ADIABATIC MIXING WILL ALLOW THE MUCH STRONGER WINDS ALOFT TO REACH THE SURFACE WITH POSSIBLE HIGH WIND WARNING CRITERIA BEING ATTAINED. JAKUB && PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 340 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009/ DISCUSSION... CHALLENGING FORECAST PACKAGE...WITH A RELATIVELY ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN OVER THE NEXT 7 DAYS. A POWERFUL...NEGATIVELY TITLED MID/UPPER TROUGH IS CURRENTLY EJECTING NORTHEAST ACROSS WEST TX. WIDESPREAD SHOWERS HAVE AFFECTED THE AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS IN A BROAD MID-LEVEL WARM ADVECTION REGIME. A MORE CONCENTRATED NORTH-SOUTH BAND OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN PROGRESSING EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...DIRECTLY AHEAD OF THE POWERFUL SHORTWAVE. EXPECTING THIS NORTHWEST-SOUTHEAST ORIENTED BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE NORTHEAST OVER THE AREA THIS MORNING...EXITING THE FORECAST AREA TO THE NORTHEAST BY EARLY AFTERNOON WITH THE SHORTWAVE ENERGY. DESPITE VERY STRONG SHEAR...THINKING INSTABILITY WILL BE VERY LIMITED (CAPE LESS THAN 500 J/KG) FOR SEVERE STORMS. HOWEVER...GIVEN THE STRONG WIND FIELDS...COULD SEE SOME 50 MPH GUSTS IN THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY...ESPECIALLY EAST/NORTHEAST OF WICHITA WHERE INSTABILITY WILL BE POTENTIALLY GREATEST. STRONG SUBSIDENCE...MIXING AND ASSOCIATED MOMENTUM TRANSFER WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA BY LATE MORNING/EARLY AFTERNOON IN WAKE OF THE SHORTWAVE. GIVEN 40 KTS OF MOMENTUM TRANSFER INDICATED BY BUFKIT MODEL SOUNDINGS...DECIDED TO ISSUE A HIGH WIND WARNING FROM NOON-6PM FOR LOCATIONS NORTH/EAST OF WICHITA...WHERE SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS THIS AFTERNOON WILL LIKELY EXCEED 40 MPH FOR AT LEAST A FEW HOURS. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OTHER AREAS. HOWEVER...THE NEXT SHIFT MAY NEED TO ASSESS THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPANDING THE WARNING FURTHER INTO SOUTHEAST KS. ANOTHER POWERFUL SHORTWAVE...CURRENTLY OFF THE CENTRAL CA COAST...WILL APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE SOUTHWEST TUESDAY NIGHT-WEDNESDAY MORNING. AM CURRENTLY FAVORING A NAM/ECMWF BLEND...WITH THE GFS MORE OF AN OUTLIER. LOOKS LIKE THE MOST WIDESPREAD/HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION WILL BE OVER SOUTHEAST KANSAS...WITH LIGHTER AMOUNTS FARTHER NORTHWEST. SOME ELEVATED INSTABILITY SHOULD LEAD TO EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST KANSAS. ADDITIONALLY...COULD BE LOOKING AT A RAIN/SNOW MIX ON THE NORTHWEST FRINGE OVER CENTRAL KS...BUT AM NOT EXPECTING ACCUMULATING SNOW DUE TO MARGINAL COLD AIR. GFS AND ECMWF CONTINUE TO INDICATE A PROGRESSIVE SHORTWAVE MOVING ACROSS THE PLAINS LATE WEEK (FRIDAY). DEPENDING ON THE STORM TRACK...COULD BE LOOKING AT ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL ACROSS MAINLY CENTRAL KS. STILL TOO FAR OUT TO PINPOINT ANYTHING...BUT WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR. ADK FIRE WEATHER... TODAYS VERY STRONG WINDS IN CONCERT WITH CLEARING SKIES...WARM TEMPERATURES...LOWERING DEWPOINTS AND FULLY CURED GRASSES WILL RESULT IN EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL...SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. HAVE ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING FROM NOON-6PM FOR ALL COUNTIES ACROSS THE WICHITA FORECAST AREA EXCEPT FOR FAR SOUTHEAST KS...WHERE THE THREAT FOR PRECIPITATION WILL LINGER LONGER. HOWEVER...IF PRECIPITATION ENDS UP NOT BEING AS WIDESPREAD OR ENDS QUICKER THAN EXPECTED...RED FLAG CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY NEED TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE REST OF SOUTHEAST KS. ADK && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 65 42 67 38 / 10 0 10 50 HUTCHINSON 65 40 66 36 / 10 0 10 40 NEWTON 65 41 66 38 / 10 0 10 50 ELDORADO 66 43 67 40 / 10 0 10 50 WINFIELD-KWLD 67 43 68 40 / 10 0 10 50 RUSSELL 63 34 63 31 / 10 0 10 30 GREAT BEND 63 36 64 32 / 10 0 10 30 SALINA 64 37 65 35 / 10 0 10 40 MCPHERSON 65 39 66 36 / 10 0 10 40 COFFEYVILLE 70 45 69 45 / 40 0 30 70 CHANUTE 68 45 68 43 / 60 0 20 70 IOLA 68 45 68 43 / 80 0 20 70 PARSONS-KPPF 69 45 69 44 / 50 0 20 70 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR KSZ032-047-050- 067-072-082-083-091>096-098>100. HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR KSZ033-048- 049-051>053-068>071. RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON FOR KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>070-082-083-091>094-098. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL NOON CST TODAY FOR KSZ033-048-049-051>053- 068>071. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 529 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-101130- 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- 529 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A BROKEN LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL RACE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING. THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH. APART FROM THE THUNDERSTORMS...STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS THIS MORNING WILL TURN MORE SOUTHWESTERLY AND STRENGTHEN THIS AFTERNOON...PROMPTING HIGH WIND WARNING AND WIND ADVISORY ISSUANCES. PLEASE REFER TO THESE PRODUCTS FOR MORE DETAILED WIND INFORMATION. THE STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS IN CONCERT WITH FULLY CURED GRASSES...DRYING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER THIS AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS...AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS. VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER WILL LINGER THROUGH THE EVENING. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST RED FLAG WARNING FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER IS POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON. A FEW STRONG STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHEAST KANSAS ON TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH A CHANCE OF SNOW MIXED WITH RAIN ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING...AS ANOTHER POTENT STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES FROM THE SOUTHWEST. NO SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER WILL AFFECT THE ENTIRE AREA ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. YET ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM COULD BRING A CHANCE FOR SNOW TO MAINLY CENTRAL KANSAS BY FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. ALTHOUGH THERE REMAINS SOME UNCERTAINTY SURROUNDING THIS SYSTEM...IT APPEARS AT LEAST SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE. STAY TUNED FOR LATER FORECASTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY OR TONIGHT. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP ADK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 712 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 KSZ096-099-100-091415- LABETTE-MONTGOMERY-NEOSHO- 712 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LABETTE...MONTGOMERY AND NEOSHO COUNTIES... AT 710 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A LINE OF INTENSE SHOWERS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF HAVANA TO WANN TO 12 MILES SOUTH OF WANN...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS LINE OF INTENSE SHOWERS. COX
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 716 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 KSZ070>072-094>096-098>100-091415- ALLEN-CHAUTAUQUA-ELK-GREENWOOD-LABETTE-MONTGOMERY-NEOSHO-WILSON- WOODSON- 716 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR ALLEN...CHAUTAUQUA...ELK...GREENWOOD...LABETTE... MONTGOMERY...NEOSHO...WILSON AND WOODSON COUNTIES... AT 710 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A LINE OF INTENSE SHOWERS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF EUREKA TO 7 MILES SOUTH OF FALL RIVER TO HALE...AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS LINE OF SHOWERS. COX
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 718 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 KSZ053-069-070-091415- BUTLER-CHASE-GREENWOOD- 718 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR BUTLER...CHASE AND GREENWOOD COUNTIES... AT 716 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A LINE OF INTENSE SHOWERS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF ELMDALE TO CASSODAY...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS LINE OF SHOWERS. COX
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 811 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 KSZ072-096-091445- ALLEN-NEOSHO- 811 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR ALLEN AND NEOSHO COUNTIES... AT 808 AM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEOSHO FALLS TO GALESBURG...AND MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE. JAKUB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 1004 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 KSZ052-100415- MARION- INCLUDING THE CITY OF...MARION 1004 AM CST MON FEB 9 2009 ...MARION COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HAS ISSUED A BURN BAN FOR MARION COUNTY... VERY DRY CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO PREVAIL ACROSS MARION COUNTY. THE COMBINATION OF WIND AND DRY CONDITIONS WILL MAKE THE GRASS AND VEGETATION CONDUCIVE TO CATCHING FIRE. THEREFORE...A COMPLETE BURN BAN HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MARION COUNTY. THIS BURN BAN IS IN EFFECT THROUGH FEBRUARY 17TH. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE BURN BAN...PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LOCAL COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER. JAKUB
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Newton AWOS reported measured sustained winds of 40 mph for almost 40 minutes.
Law enforcement officials reported some minor damage from high winds.
Law Enforcement officials reported estimated sustained wind speeds of 40 mph.
Law Enforcement officials reported estimated sustained wind speeds of 40 mph.
Law enforcement reported some tree branches and street signs blown down in Salina due to strong 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, February 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: 154220, 154221, 154222, 154223, 154219.