A slow-moving upper low pressure area moved across the region during the afternoon. A line of severe thunderstorms developed over Colorado in the morning and moved into western Kansas during the afternoon.
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 GLD wrote it up.
A slow-moving upper low pressure area moved across the region during the afternoon. A line of severe thunderstorms developed over Colorado in the morning and moved into western Kansas during the afternoon. Winds of 70 to 80 mph accompanied the storms producing damage to trees and utility poles. In addition, large hail and several funnel cloud reports were also received.
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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 24, 10:08 AM MST, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS 1108 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 .UPDATE... 821 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 UPDATED MORNING FORECAST TO REFLECT LATEST TRENDS FOR POP/WX/QPF AND TEMPS. WITH FIRST SHORTWAVE NOW EAST OF CWA AND LARGE SCALE SUBSIDENCE IN PLACE LOWERED PRECIP CHANCES FOR MORNING PERIOD. MAIN UPPER LOW CURRENTLY CENTERED OVER SOUTHCENTRAL COLORADO STILL ON TRACK TO MOVE E-NE OVER WESTERN KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON WHEN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE...SO NO CHANGES MADE TO PRECIP FORECAST AFTER 18Z. FOR NOW SEVERE THREAT CONTINUES TO BE ON TRACK WITH TOR...HAIL AND STRONG WINDS POSSIBLE WITH THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TODAY AND TONIGHT. WILL ALSO NEED TO MONITOR POTENTIAL HYDRO ISSUES FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WITH MOST LOCATIONS ALONG AND NORTH OF I-70 RECEIVING AROUND ONE INCH OF RAINFALL LAST NIGHT. DR && .DISCUSSION... 155 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 A TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO THE ROCKIES TODAY AND INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS TONIGHT. THE TROUGH WILL MOVE INTO NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS BY 06Z WEDNESDAY. BY WEDNESDAY THE TROUGH WILL BE OVER NORTHEAST KANSAS. A RIDGE WILL BUILD EAST OF THE ROCKIES WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. ANOTHER LOW WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT. SURFACE LOW PRESSURE WILL BE OVER THE NORTHERN TEXAS PANHANDLE TODAY AND MOVE INTO NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS TONIGHT. THE SURFACE LOW WILL THEN SHIFT EAST INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS WEDNESDAY AND NORTHERN IOWA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. FOR TODAY/TONIGHT PLAN TO STAY WITH CURRENT DEFINITE, LIKELY AND CHANCE POPS. INSTABILITY DOES DROP OFF BY 06Z WED AND THIS IS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE GRIDS. STEERING WINDS AT 7H ARE LIGHT TODAY BUT BY 00Z THE WINDS INCREASE TO 15KTS WITH EVEN STRONGER WINDS BY 06Z WED. BASED ON THIS WOULD EXPECT THE GREATEST RISK FOR SLOW MOVING STORMS TO DUMP HEAVY RAIN WOULD BE TODAY WITH LESS CHANCES TONIGHT. NATIONAL GUIDANCE INDICATES A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL OVER THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE FA SO WILL LEAVE THE GRIDS WITH MENTION OF HEAVY RAINFALL THROUGH TONIGHT. SINCE THE SOIL IS NOT SATURATED AND THE LONG DURATION OF THE EVENT AS MENTIONED EARLIER DO NOT SEE ANY NEED FOR A WATCH. THE NEXT ISSUE IS WIND ON WEDNESDAY...THE SURFACE GRADIENT TIGHTENS SIGNIFICANTLY. MET/MAV GUIDANCE INDICATE ADVISORY OR HIGH WIND WARNING CRITERIA MAY BE MET DURING THE DAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE FA. SINCE SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TODAY ACROSS THE FA DO NOT WANT TO COMPLICATE THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING WITH A WIND HIGHLIGHT. THE EVENING OR MID SHIFT WILL BE ABLE TO ISSUE THE APPROPRIATE HIGHLIGHT. THE ZONES WILL HAVE MENTION OF THE STRONG WIND IN THE TEXT AND IT WILL BE MENTIONED IN THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK TODAY. BY EARLY WEDNESDAY EVENING THE LOW AND ITS DYNAMICS WILL BE JUST EAST OF THE FA. SUBSIDENCE WILL MOVE IN AS A RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. CONSEQUENTLY POPS WILL BE NIL FROM 00Z THURSDAY THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY. ANOTHER LOW MOVES INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS EARLY THURSDAY EVENING. UPWARD VERTICAL VELOCITIES ARE INDICATED WITH A SHORTWAVE THAT ROUNDS THE BASE OF THE LOW. SINCE THE MAIN DYNAMICS OF THE LOW ARE FURTHER NORTH OVER MONTANA THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY ABOUT PRECIPITATION CHANCES OVER THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE FA. ALSO MOST UNSTABLE CAPE IS LACKING SO LOWERED POPS TO SLIGHT CHANCE OF RW-. MAX TEMPERATURES WILL HAVE A COOLING TREND THROUGH WEDNESDAY. HIGHS TODAY WILL BE IN THE MID 60S AND THEN COOL TO THE MID/UPPER 50S WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL WARM BACK TO AROUND 70 THURSDAY. MIN TEMPERATURES WILL BE MILD TONIGHT DUE TO CLOUDS WITH READINGS FALLING INTO THE UPPER 40S/LOWER 50S. LOW TEMPERATURES WEDNESDAY NIGHT WILL RANGE FROM 40 TO 45 AND THEN WARM TO THE UPPER 40S/LOWER 50S THURSDAY NIGHT. ZONES WILL ISSUED SLIGHTLY EARLY THIS MORNING DUE TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 351. FS && .AVIATION... 1108 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 FOR THE 18Z TAFS...VERY COMPLICATED WEATHER SITUATION UNFOLDING DURING THIS TAF PERIOD. UPSTREAM THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY AND SPREAD EASTWARD. SEVERE WEATHER IS A GOOD POSSIBILITY...WITH DYNAMICS IN PLACE FOR HAIL AND STRONG WINDS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO KGLD SHORTLY AFTER START OF THE TAF...AND KMCK AROUND 20Z. EXPECT TSTORMS TO LAST THROUGH MID EVENING...THEN SHOWERS THROUGH THE REST OF THE PERIOD. CIGS AND VIS WILL BE MVFR TO START...POSSIBLY IFR IN TSTORMS...THEN BECOMING IFR/LIFR IN SHOWERS OVERNIGHT THAT WILL LAST THROUGH THE PERIOD. WINDS ARE ALSO A CONCERN...WINDS WILL BE GUSTY INITIALLY...HOWEVER...WINDS WILL BECOME VERY STRONG AND GUSTY OVERNIGHT INTO TOMORROW...WITH GUSTS UP TO 45KTS AT BOTH LOCATIONS AFT 11Z. OF COURSE...WINDS WILL BE STRONG IN AND AROUND TSTORMS. BAS && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. NE...NONE. CO...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS 1047 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-251230- YUMA-KIT CARSON-CHEYENNE CO-CHEYENNE KS-RAWLINS-DECATUR-NORTON- SHERMAN-THOMAS-SHERIDAN-GRAHAM-WALLACE-LOGAN-GOVE-GREELEY-WICHITA- DUNDY-HITCHCOCK-RED WILLOW- 1047 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 /1147 AM CDT TUE MAY 24 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EXTREME SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA...NORTHWEST KANSAS AND EAST CENTRAL COLORADO. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS ALL OF THE TRI- STATE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ALL ASSOCIATED THUNDERSTORM THREATS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY WITH THE STRONGER STORMS... INCLUDING LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...HEAVY RAINFALL AND CLOUD- TO-GROUND LIGHTNING. A TORNADO WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE ACROSS EASTERN COLORADO BY MIDDAY AND OVERSPREAD THE REMAINDER OF THE TRI-STATE REGION DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE WEDNESDAY WITH A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER EAST OF A LINE FROM MCCOOK NEBRASKA TO GOVE KANSAS. A VERY WINDY DAY IS EXPECTED WEDNESDAY. NORTHWEST WIND AT 25 TO 35 MPH WITH SOME GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
1128 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011
COZ092-241800-
CHEYENNE COUNTY-
1128 AM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHEYENNE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO...
AT 1127 AM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF KIT CARSON...MOVING NORTH
AT 25 MPH.
PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH
THIS STORM.
&&
LAT...LON 3895 10244 3861 10235 3861 10273 3861 10274
3894 10288
TIME...MOT...LOC 1728Z 166DEG 21KT 3872 10266
ROBINSONSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS 1228 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 COZ092-241900- CHEYENNE COUNTY- 1228 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHEYENNE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO... AT 1226 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FIRSTVIEW...MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH. PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE. && LAT...LON 3903 10274 3903 10228 3868 10227 3868 10273 TIME...MOT...LOC 1829Z 189DEG 15KT 3884 10253 ROBINSON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS 128 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 COZ091-242000- KIT CARSON COUNTY- 128 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR KIT CARSON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL COLORADO... AT 124 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES SOUTH OF VONA TO 8 MILES SOUTH OF KANORADO...MOVING NORTHWEST AT 20 MPH. PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THESE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE. && LAT...LON 3943 10282 3945 10209 3908 10206 3905 10281 TIME...MOT...LOC 1928Z 155DEG 19KT 3922 10270 3925 10210 ROBINSON
The Goodland radar (KGLD), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:43 UTC.
2 heavy rain, 2 hail, 2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Observer reported heavy rainfall of 3.76 inches which resulted in local street flooding in town. Estimated winds of 50 mph and 3/8 diameter hail caused a lot of leaf damage on trees, with hail accumulating to around an inch in some areas.
Wind gusts of 59 and 61 mph were received from ASOS between 1305 and 1308 MDT.
Spotter reported that hail was beginning to cover the ground.
Observer reported 3.96 inches of rain between 3 and 10 pm with a 24-hour total the following morning of 4.57 inches.
Time of event estimated. Rainfall of 0.95 inches report, with the stream out of its banks.
Republican River reported out of its banks at the Wray shopping center along Highway 34 in town. No stores were immediately being threatened by high water. River reported to be receding at 2034 MDT with rain ending. Rainfall of 1.57 inches reported at one point in the evening.
Yuma County Road Supervisor reported water over Road 3, 1/2 mile west of 385. Road passable to 4WD vehicles only.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, May 2011
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: 298152, 298109, 298110, 298154, 298111, 298112, 298113, 298115.