High winds occurred during the afternoon and reached 60 mph in some spots.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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 DDC wrote it up.
High winds occurred during the afternoon and reached 60 mph in some spots.
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 Dodge City, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 23, 11:38 AM CST, 1 hour 22 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 1238 PM CDT MON MAR 23 2009 .UPDATE... .AVIATION...FOR THE 18Z TAFS... STRONG GUSTY WINDS HAD ALREADY DEVELOPED OVER MUCH OF WESTERN KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. HAVILAND PROFILERS CONTINUE TO INDICATE WIND SPEEDS ABOVE 50 KTS JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE WITH BOTH THE RUC AND NAM SUPPORTING THESE STRONG WINDS MIXING DOWN TO THE SURFACE. ALSO GIVEN THE DRY CONDITIONS WE HAD EXPERIENCED OVER THE PAST MONTH THESE STRONG WINDS WILL CREATE SOME REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO BLOWING DUST. THE LOWEST VSBYS FROM THE BLDU WILL BE BEFORE 21Z SO WILL HIGHLIGHT THIS IN THE TAFS. ALL THIS WILL OCCUR AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT WHICH WILL BE MOVING SOUTH ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THE 12Z NAM IS NOW MORE SIMILAR WITH THE GFS IN A SLOWER SOUTHWARD MOVEMENT. AS A RESULT HAVE OPTED TO FOLLOW THIS GENERAL TREND WITH A WIND SHIFT OCCURRING AT THE GCK AIRPORT AT 21Z, HYS AT 23Z AND DDC AT 02Z. -RB && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 349 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009/ DISCUSSION... DAYS 1-2... FORECAST ISSUES FOR TODAY REMAIN STRONG SURFACE WINDS,CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE POSSIBILITY OF THUNDERSTORMS. TROPICAL CONVECTIVE FORCING REMAINS RELATIVELY CONCENTRATED 10S/155E. WORKING WITH OTHER DYNAMICAL PROCESSES (PER WB(2009) MEASURE OF THE GLOBAL WIND OSCILLATION(GWO)) THIS FORCING CONTINUES TO ADD WESTERLY WIND FLOW TO THE GLOBAL SUBTROPICS INCLUDING REGIONALLY ACROSS THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN. FOR INSTANCE, THE CALCULATED TENDENCY OF GLOBAL RELATIVE ATMOSPHERIC ANGULAR MOMENTUM (AAM) THROUGH 20 MARCH WAS PLUS 30 HADLEYS (ROUGHLY A 2.5 STANDARD DEVIATION EVENT). ONE RESPONSE HAS BEEN FOR AN IMPROVING SUBTROPICAL JET (STJ) INTO THE WESTERN USA DURING THE LAST SEVERAL DAYS. IN FACT, WIND SPEED ANOMALIES AT 150MB ARE 25M/S ALONG THIS STJ, AND ASSOCIATED UPPER TROPOSPHERIC CLOUD COVER HELD DOWN SUNDAY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES ACROSS MY CWA. ZONAL MEAN WESTERLY WIND FLOW ANOMALIES ACROSS THE SUBTROPICAL ATMOSPHERES ARE 5-10M/S, AND HAVE BEEN SHIFTING POLEWARD FOR ABOUT THE LAST WEEK. THIS IS WHY THERE HAS BEEN SOME STRENGTHENING OF THE POLAR JET ACROSS THE NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN. THE LATTER COMBINED WITH AN IMPROVED STJ INCREASES THE CHANCES FOR ADDITIONAL TROUGHS TO PROGRESS INTO THE WESTERN STATES AND DEEPEN FARTHER SOUTH. FOR EXAMPLE, ONE OF THE BEST POSSIBILITIES OF WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION ACROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS IN SEVERAL MONTHS MAY OCCUR LATE NEXT WEEK. THIS IS A DIRECT REGIONAL SCALE SYNOPTIC RESPONSE TO CURRENT GLOBAL-SCALE PROCESSES INCREASING WESTERLY WIND FLOW. IF THERE IS TO BE ANY CONSISTENT DAMPENING OF THE CURRENT DROUGHT ACROSS MY CWA, ZONAL MEAN SUBTROPICAL WESTERLY WIND FLOW ACROSS THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE NEEDS TO CONTINUE INCREASING. RIGHT NOW WE ARE JUST SEEING A PERTURBATION EMBEDDED IN A WELL-ESTABLISHED LA-NINA BASE STATE. 0000 UTC 23 MARCH CONSTANT PRESSURE ANALYSES CONFIRM THAT OUR WELL ADVERTISED TROUGH IS APPROACHING THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE. STRONGEST WINDS IN THE UPPER TROPOSPHERE WITH THIS TROUGH ARE AT ITS BASE (120KTS AT 250MB). THESE ARE ABOUT TO SHIFT NORTHEAST AS RAPID BAROCLINIC DEVELOPMENT OCCURS ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO INTO NEBRASKA TODAY. ALL MODELS AGREE ON THIS SCENARIO. AS I TYPED 24 HOURS AGO, PRECIPITATION CHANCES WITH THIS SYSTEM ARE VERY LOW DUE TO LIMITED TROPICAL MOISTURE TRANSPORT AND ITS PREDICTED TRACK. THE FIRST PACIFIC COLD FRONT WILL BE THROUGH MUCH OF MY CWA BY 1800 UTC TODAY. I LEFT TO GOING POPS FOR OUR FAR EASTERN COUNTIES FOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. A MARGINAL SEVERE STORM OR TWO IS POSSIBLE GIVEN THE VERY IMPRESSIVE VERTICAL SHEAR PROFILES (0-3KM HELICITIES 500-600 M2/S2). MORE WIDESPREAD ACTIVITY WILL BE TO THE EAST OF MY CWA. THE MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES ARE THE STRONG SOUTHWEST WINDS AND CRITICAL TO EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS. PREVIOUS SHIFT DID A GOOD JOB WITH THESE MATTERS. THE CHANGE I MADE WAS TO UPGRADE THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH TO A RED FLAG WARNING,AND EXPAND IT EAST TO BARBER, PRATT AND STAFFORD COUNTIES. SURFACE RELATIVE HUMIDITIES AND THE WINDS SHOULD EASILY MEET CRITERIA, INCLUDING THE EASTERN COUNTIES BY 2100 UTC. BLOWING DUST WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN, AND THE DAY SHIFT WILL NEED TO MONITOR. THE SECOND PACIFIC COLD FRONT ROTATING AROUND THE SOUTHWESTERN PERIPHERY OF LOW SHOULD MOVE SOUTHEAST THROUGH MY CWA BY MIDNIGHT. BY THAT TIME THE WINDS WILL DECREASE (WHILE SHIFTING TO THE NORTHWEST) AS WILL THE DUST. I ONLY MADE MINOR TWEAKS TO THE TEMPERATURES. I RAISED MAXIMUMS FOR TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST COUNTIES BY A FEW DEGREES. LOWER 80S AROUND MEDICINE LODGE ARE QUITE REASONABLE GIVEN THE DEEP MIXING AND DOWNSLOPE. FINALLY, I DECIDED TO START THE WIND ADVISORY AT 0800 UTC SINCE CRITERIA IS ALREADY BEING MEET. I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A FEW GUSTS TO AROUND 60 MPH THIS AFTERNOON. -EKB DAYS 3-7... THE MAIN ITEM FOR DISCUSSION THIS MORNING IS FRIDAYS STORM SYSTEM AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A WINTER STORM. THE MODELS ARE GENERALLY COMING IN LINE AND ARE SHOWING A VERY STRONG STORM SYSTEM WRAPPING OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS BY FRIDAY. OF COURSE, THERE ARE SUBTLE DIFFERENCES IN THE MODELS THAT WOULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MAJOR SNOW STORM AND A NUISANCE EVENT. ALL THE MODELS SHOW CYCLOGENESIS, BUT EXACTLY WHERE IS IN QUESTION. THE ECMWF IS FURTHER NORTH AND WEST WHILE THE CANADIAN IS FURTHER SOUTH AND EAST. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT SOME PRECIPITATION IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY LIKELY. RAIN MAY START AS EARLY AS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AS WARM ADVECTION DEVELOPS. PRECIP SHOULD TRANSITION TO SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST LATE THU NIGHT INTO FRIDAY. TEMPS ARE VERY TRICKY. IF THE SYSTEM IS MORE WRAPPED UP AND FURTHER NORTHWEST, THEN HIGHS COULD BE IN THE 50S OR EVEN 60S IN OUR SOUTHEAST COUNTIES FRIDAY, WITH 20S AND NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WEST. BUT A MORE SE SOLUTION WOULD MEAN SNOW EVEN IN OUR SOUTHEAST. MAXES WERE LOWERED INTO THE 30S FROM DDC WEST FOR FRIDAY. BUT WARMER UPPER 40S WERE KEPT IN THE SOUTHEAST DUE TO THE HIGH UNCERTAINTY. SATURDAYS MAXES COULD BE COLDER IF THE GROUND IS SNOW COVERED. -FINCH && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 76 34 57 32 / 10 10 0 0 GCK 72 31 57 30 / 0 0 0 0 EHA 69 32 61 31 / 0 0 0 0 LBL 73 33 61 31 / 0 0 0 0 HYS 72 33 52 31 / 40 20 0 0 P28 80 40 60 36 / 40 40 0 0 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ031-045-046- 064>066-078>081. RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ063>066- 074>081-084>090. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT /7 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR KSZ030- 043-044-061>063-074>077-084>090. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 448 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009 KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-241030- TREGO-ELLIS-SCOTT-LANE-NESS-RUSH-HAMILTON-KEARNY-FINNEY-HODGEMAN- PAWNEE-STAFFORD-STANTON-GRANT-HASKELL-GRAY-FORD-EDWARDS-KIOWA- PRATT-MORTON-STEVENS-SEWARD-MEADE-CLARK-COMANCHE-BARBER- 448 AM CDT MON MAR 23 2009 /348 AM MDT MON MAR 23 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTHWEST AT SPEEDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH THIS MORNING WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH POSSIBLE. DURING THE AFTERNOON ANOTHER SHIFT TO NORTHWESTERLY IS EXPECTED. AREAS OF REDUCED VISIBILITIES DUE TO BLOWING DUST ARE LIKELY. MOTORISTS SHOULD EXCERCISE CAUTION. AS RELATIVE HUMIDITIES DROP TO LESS THAN 15 PERCENT, COMBINED WITH THE STRONG WINDS, CRITICAL TO EXTREME FIRE CONDITIONS WILL EXIST. OUTDOOR BURNING IS NOT RECOMMENDED. FINALLY, SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP EAST OF A LARNED TO COLDWATER LINE AFTER 2 PM. THESE MAY BECOME MARGINALLY SEVERE WITH WIND AND HAIL AS THE THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THE PROBABILITY OF WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW. WINTER WEATHER MAY RETURN TO SOUTHWEST KANSAS ON ABOUT FRIDAY. CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING THAT ANOTHER MAJOR STORM SYSTEM WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES THEN SHIFT NORTHEAST TOWARD THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. HOWEVER, THE EXACT TRACK IS STILL UNCERTAIN TO DETERMINE HOW MUCH RAIN OR SNOW MAY OCCUR. STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES. SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY NOT BE NEEDED TODAY AND TONIGHT. && FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/DDC EKB
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
137 PM CDT MON MAR 23 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0119 PM NON-TSTM WND GST LARNED 38.18N 99.10W
03/23/2009 M60.00 MPH PAWNEE KS BROADCAST MEDIA
REPORT FROM THE KSN WEATHER LAB AT FT LARNED MIDDLE
SCHOOL.
0130 PM NON-TSTM WND GST PRATT 37.65N 98.74W
03/23/2009 M59.00 MPH PRATT KS AWOS
&&
18The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 60 mph wind gust was estimated by the LaCrosse police department.
A wind gust of 60 mph was estimated in St. John.
A wind gust of 60 mph was measured by the KSN Weather Lab at Ft. Larned Middle School in Larned.
A 59 mph wind gust was recorded at the Pratt airport.
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, March 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: 161536, 161537, 161538, 161540.