A slow moving cold front moved into an extremely hot and unstable airmass across central and eastern Kansas on Friday, August 13th, and sparked thunderstorms along a line from Salina to Seneca. The airmass feeding into these storms was extremely unstable, with temperatures in the 100 to 106 degree range and dewpoint temperatures in the 60s and 70s.
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.
A slow moving cold front moved into an extremely hot and unstable airmass across central and eastern Kansas on Friday, August 13th, and sparked thunderstorms along a line from Salina to Seneca. The airmass feeding into these storms was extremely unstable, with temperatures in the 100 to 106 degree range and dewpoint temperatures in the 60s and 70s. This led to rapid storm intensification, with the first severe thunderstorm warning being issued less than 30 minutes after the storms formed.
The Manhattan airport tower measured a wind gust of 93 mph at the peak of the storm, with similar wind speeds in the 70 to 95 mph range from southern Manhattan through Ogden and other parts of southern Riley county. The storm complex tracked eastward across southern Pottawatomie, northern Wabaunsee, southern Jackson, northern Shawnee and Jefferson counties. While it weakened a bit as it pushed east, the storms left a swath of wind damage.
Additional severe thunderstorms developed along the front to the northeast and southwest of the initial complex, bringing repeated rounds of damaging winds of 50 to 70 mph, a few reports of hail larger than quarters, and intense cloud to ground lightning. As the event wore on into the evening hours, thunderstorms continued to produce wind damage, with a truck being blown off the road and power lines down in Lyon county.
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 Aug 13, 5:41 AM CST, 3 hours 54 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 641 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 .UPDATE... UPDATED FOR 12 UTC AVIATION. && .DISCUSSION... SEE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION. && .AVIATION... UPPER TROUGH MOVING OUT INTO THE PLAINS WILL MOVE A COLD FRONT SOUTHEAST AND INTO THE TAF SITES IN THE 05Z-09Z SATURDAY TIME FRAME...SHIFTING THE WINDS TO THE NORTHWEST UNDER 10 KTS. VFR EXPECTED THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD EXCEPT WITH CONVECTION WHERE MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS LIKELY. ATTM CONFIDENCE IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH TO ADD A TEMPO GROUP AND WILL GO WITH VCTS LATER THIS AFTERNOON AS ENERGY ROTATES NORTHEAST OUT OF COLORADO ACROSS THE AREA AND AS FRONT MOVES INTO NORTHERN KANSAS. 53 && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 350 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010/ DISCUSSION... 00Z UPPER AIR DATA HAD A 60-80KT UPPER LEVEL JET FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO THE NORTHERN PLAINS WITH A 100KT NORTHERLY AIRREP IN EASTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA BEHIND AN UPPER TROF. 20-40M 500MB HEIGHT FALLS WERE COMMON OVER THE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PLAINS...WITH A POTENT SHORTWAVE EVIDENT IN WESTERN WYOMING ON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WAS AHEAD OF THIS WAVE IN CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA WITH 3MB 3-HOUR PRESSURE RISES BEHIND A COLD FRONT STRETCHING SOUTHWEST INTO WESTERN NEBRASKA. CONVECTION CONTINUES TO SLOWLY WEAK FROM LATE AFTERNOON DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS. REMNANT CLOUD AND 925MB PROFILER WINDS AROUND 30KT KEEPING TEMPS QUITE WARM. WEAK WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL CONTINUE TO BRING SMALL PRECIP CANCERS TO MAINLY NORTHERN AREAS THIS MORNING...WITH FRONTS APPROACH INCREASING THESE CHANCES THIS AFTERNOON. INSTABILITY AND SHEAR PARAMETER SIMILAR TO EARLIER PROGS SUGGEST A SEVERE /MAINLY WIND/ THREAT WITH THE STORMS. COVERAGE AND PERSISTENCE A BIT MORE IN QUESTION WITH QUICK UPPER FLOW PUSHING THE WYOMING WAVE THROUGH BY EARLY AFTERNOON...AND BEST COVERAGE MAY BE LIMITED TO THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS UNTIL SUBSIDENCE MAKES ITS PRESENCE KNOWN. DAYTIME TEMPS AGAIN LOOK VERY HOT...WITH VALUES RISING FAST AGAIN THIS MORNING...AND THERMAL RIDGE IN THE CENTRAL ZONES LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. TWEAK VALUES UP A BIT...ESPECIALLY HOURLY TEMPS INTO THE EARLY AFTERNOON. SOME UNCERTAINTY WITH FAR NORTHWESTERN NOT QUITE REACH SPECIFIC HEAT HEADLINE CRITERIA...THOUGH THIS AREA IS GETTING LIGHT RAINS THIS OVERNIGHT AND MAY LOCALLY BOOST MOISTURE...BUT TEMP AND DEWPOINT COMBO WILL AGAIN BRING A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DAY AND WILL KEEP THE WARNING INTACT. MODELS IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT UPPER FLOW WILL REMAIN ZONAL AS SATURDAY AS THE UPPER LOW IN CANADA SCOOTS EAST. THIS WILL KEEP THE VERY WARM LOW LEVEL TEMPS FROM MOVING VERY FAR SOUTH AS THE FRONT HOLDS UP IN CENTRAL KANSAS. IN FACT THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS THAT TEMPS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN ZONES COULD RIVAL ANY DAY OF THIS HOT SPELL. HAVE RAISED TEMPS SOMEWHAT...AND WITH MOISTURE ALSO REMAINING HIGH...HEAT INDICES OF AROUND 105 EXPECTED FOR SATURDAY AFTERNOON SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 35. WILL EXTEND THE WARNING INTO THIS TIME HERE. CONVERGENCE ALONG THE BOUNDARY MAY BE ENOUGH FOR AFTERNOON STORMS TO FIRE MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 70...WITH THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY BUT SIMILAR SHEAR SUPPORTING MAINLY A WIND CONCERN...THOUGH PRESENCE OF BOUNDARY AND STORM MOTIONS LIKELY ALONG IT COULD SUPPORT A MINOR TORNADO THREAT. STORMS EXPECTED TO EXPAND IN COVERAGE SATURDAY NIGHT AS WARM AIR ADVECTION TAKES PLACE AHEAD OF THE CANADIAN COLD FRONT WITH PRECIPITABLE WATER LEVELS BACK UP TO AROUND 2 INCHES. GOOD AGREEMENT IN MODELS HERE TOO FOR A LARGE INCREASE IN PRECIP CHANCES. DRYING TREND THEN EXPECTED SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE COOLER AIR DEEPENS. MAY FINALLY SEE A DAY WITH HIGHS BELOW 90 AREA-WIDE AS 850MB TEMPS FALL INTO THE TEENS. 65 && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 PM FRIDAY FOR KSZ008-KSZ009-KSZ010-KSZ011-KSZ012-KSZ020-KSZ021-KSZ022- KSZ023-KSZ024-KSZ026-KSZ034-KSZ035-KSZ036-KSZ037-KSZ038-KSZ039- KSZ040-KSZ054-KSZ055. EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 PM SATURDAY FOR KSZ056-KSZ058- KSZ059. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 552 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-141100- REPUBLIC-WASHINGTON-MARSHALL-NEMAHA-BROWN-CLOUD-CLAY-RILEY- POTTAWATOMIE-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-OTTAWA-DICKINSON-GEARY-MORRIS- WABAUNSEE-SHAWNEE-DOUGLAS-LYON-OSAGE-FRANKLIN-COFFEY-ANDERSON- 552 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL...NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THE OPPRESSIVE HEAT WILL CONTINUE TODAY...WITH AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES REACHING THE 103 TO 112 DEGREE RANGE. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS THIS MORNING...AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AREA-WIDE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING COULD BE SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL AROUND ONE INCH IN DIAMETER BEING THE PRIMARY CONCERNS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY HIGH LEVELS OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL PERSIST IN PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL KANSAS SATURDAY...WITH AFTERNOON HEAT INDICES OF 105 TO 110 EXPECTED ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 35. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 36... AND FOR THE ENTIRE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. SOME SEVERE STORMS WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND SATURDAY NIGHT. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES LINGER IN PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL KANSAS SUNDAY NIGHT...AND RETURN TO THE ENTIRE AREA FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.
The Topeka radar (KTWX), 55 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:35 UTC.
24 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A roof was blown off a barn near Onaga. Time was estimated from radar.
Trained spotters near Fairview reported 60 to 70 mph wind gusts.
Trained spotters from across northern Dickinson county reported 60 to 70 mph wind gusts associated with a strong storm complex which moved over that area. near the town of Moonlight a 16 inch fig tree broke at the trunk about 2 feet from the ground. Tin from nearby outbuildings was also laying the front yard of the residence.
Two campers and a pontoon boat were overturned by wind at Milford Lake. Time was estimated by radar.
A wind measuring instrument mounted to the roof of the Air Traffic Control tower at Manhattan Regional Airport measured a 93 mph wind gust. The ASOS station at Manhattan Regional Airport also reported a strong wind gust of 68 mph. In the town of Ogden the windows of a residence were cracked by the force of the wind. No estimation of the wind speed was given by this resident. Kansas State University also sustained some significant damage, as wind damage to Anderson Hall's roof resulted in over a quarter million dollars in repairs. In and around Manhattan, numerous outbuildings were damaged and destroyed. Widespread power line and tree damage was also noted across the city, resulting in many damaged roofs and widespread power outages.
At a residence 5 miles west of Junction City a metal outbuilding was destroyed, and debris was found nearly a quarter of a mile downwind. Closer to Junction City, a gas station lost part of its awning. Trees and power lines were reported down across Junction City resulting in many damaged roofs and cars and widespread power outages.
Power line and tree damage was reported in the eastern part of Manhattan. A street sign was also blown down in Wamego.
A trained spotter near Robinson reported a 60 mph wind gust.
Law enforcement officers reported power lines down, along with limb and tree damage, near St. Marys.
A trained spotter near Rossville reported an estimated 75 mph wind gust.
Emergency managers and trained spotters reported 70 mph winds across Shawnee county. Tree limbs were up to 3 inches were reported down across the county, and a large tree blew onto a residence, causing significant damage, near the town of Tecumseh.
A tree 24 inches in the diameter was reported uprooted on the west side of Highway 77 near Geary County Lake. Time of the report was estimated by radar.
Widespread tree and power line damage was reported near Hoyt.
Emergency managers, law enforcement officers, and trained spotters reported 60 to 70 mph winds across Jefferson County. Large tree limbs were also reported down in Meriden, Grantville, Ozawkie, Alta Vista, Williamstown, and Winchester.
Trees were reported blown down near Parkerville.
A trained spotter near Dwight reported a 67 mph wind gust.
A trained spotter reported 4 to 6 inch tree limbs down near Abilene.
A lean to was blown off a barn in Burdick.
Near Council Grove numerous power lines were blown down. Two large trees, 15 and 18 inches respectively, were uprooted, and a grain bin was caved in.
A law enforcement officer reported a power line down near Wilsey.
Trained spotters across Osage County reported 65 mph wind gusts.
Sporadic tree and limb damage was reported throughout the city of Lawrence.
A law enforcement officer reported power poles down between Olpe and Madison. Also, near Hartford, a truck was blown off the road and into a ditch.
Tree damage, with power poles and power lines down were reported in the New Strawn area. Also a tree fell on top of two vehicles near Burlington.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, August 2010
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: 255713, 255730, 255714, 255716, 255715, 255717, 255718, 255731, 255723, 255734, 255724, 255719, 255708, 255709, 255725, 255727, 255726, 255732, 255710, 255737, 255711, 255712, 255728, 255721, 255720, 255735, 255729, 255722, 255736.