Kansas, 2011

Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, August 12, 2011

August 12, 2011 · NWS DDC · 30 events in 8 counties and zones

A cold front and supported by an upper level jet streak helped to produce severe thunderstorms during the late afternoon and early evening.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
30

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS DDC wrote it up.

A cold front and supported by an upper level jet streak helped to produce severe thunderstorms during the late afternoon and early evening.

What forecasters said that day

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 Aug 12, 1:37 PM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 12, 1:37 PM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
237 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011

.DISCUSSION...

DAYS 1-2...

THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGES ARE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING, THEN CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS INTO SUNDAY.

A 70KT UPPER LEVEL JET ON THE BOTTOM OF AN UPPER LEVEL SHORTWAVE
TROUGH OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS WILL CONTINUE TO PROGRESS
SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS TONIGHT. THIS WILL BRING A COLD
FRONT ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON AND INTO
THE EVENING. EASTERLY UPSLOPE FLOW WITH DEWPOINTS AROUND 70 WILL BE
AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WITH CAPES FORECAST AROUND 3000 J/KG. WITH
PLENTY OF LAYER SHEAR AND INSTABILITY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
LIKELY. SOME ROTATING SUPERCELLS WITH LARGE HAIL NEAR OR OVER
GOLFBALL SIZE ARE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH AN ISOLATED TORNADO. INITIALLY
TEMPERATURE DEWPOINT SPREADS WILL BE HIGH, HOWEVER BY LATER IN THE
EVENING THEY WILL FALL. THE STORMS SHOULD END BY AROUND 9 PM FROM
MEDICINE LODGE TO LIBERAL. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE IN THE MID TO
UPPER 60S.

ON SATURDAY AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE INTO THE
HIGH PLAINS WITH COOLER SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE INTO KANSAS. BY LATE
AFTERNOON WITH UPSLOPE FLOW INTO FAR SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS AND EASTERN
COLORADO A FEW THUNDERSTORMS MAY FORM BUT WITH LOW SHEAR SEVERE
WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. HIGHS ON SATURDAY WITH MOSTLY SUNNY TO
PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES LOOK TO BE IN THE LOW TO MID 90S. FOR SATURDAY
NIGHT A FEW MORE THUNDERSTORMS MAY MOVE OFF THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF
EASTERN COLORADO IN WESTERN KANSAS FROM GARDEN CITY TO LIBERAL.
OVERNIGHT LOWS SHOULD BE IN THE LOW TO MID 60S.

FOR SUNDAY AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL BE OVER WESTERN KANSAS AND THE
SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE RIDGE WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE MISSOURI VALLEY
ALLOWING MOIST UPSLOPE FLOW TO RETURN INTO WESTERN KANSAS. WILL KEEP
A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS BY LATE AFTERNOON BUT AGAIN THE
SHEAR PROFILE LOOKS WEAK WITH SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NOT EXPECTED.
HIGHS WILL BE AROUND 90 WITH PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES.

DAYS 3-7...

JUST A FEW TWEAKS TO THE EXTENDED GRIDS BUT THE SAME STORY HOLDS
TRUE WITH SOME PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS, A DRYING PERIOD, THEN
SLIGHTLY COOLER WEATHER AND POTENTIALLY MORE THUNDERSTORMS.

MY PERIOD BEGINS 00Z MONDAY. STILL KEPT 20 TO 30 PERCENT POPS FOR
SUNDAY NIGHT. A NORTHWESTERLY FLOW ALOFT WILL STILL BE FAVORABLE FOR
MCS DEVELOPMENT AS SUGGESTED BY THE ECMWF AND GFS. HIGHS MONDAY WILL
BE IN THE 90S PRIMARILY WITH SLIGHT POPS CARRIED ACROSS CENTRAL
KANSAS IN ASSOCIATION WITH A WEAKENING FRONTAL BOUNDARY.

BY TUESDAY THE 500 HPA RIDGE BEGINS TO BUILD MORE OVER THE SOUTHERN
PLAINS AND WILL DOMINATE OUR WEATHER. THIS RESULTS IN GHOSTS POPS
AND WARMER TEMPERATURES. HIGHS AROUND 100 DEG F LOOK REASONABLE FOR
MUCH OF THE CWFA.

BY WEDNESDAY EVENING INTO THURSDAY THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE RETROGRADES
WEST ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST. THIS WILL TURN OUR UPPER LEVEL
FLOW MORE NORTHWESTERLY AND THEREFORE WILL RESULT IN SLIGHTLY COOLER
TEMPERATURES AND THE THREAT FOR MCS ACTIVITY AS MARKED BY SLIGHT
POPS IN THE GRIDS. THIS LESS HOT AND MORE SEASONABLE TEMPERATURE
PATTERN IS FORECAST TO STICK AROUND FOR THE REST OF THE BUSINESS
WEEK. -SUGDEN

&&

.AVIATION...

MAINLY VFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. HAVE CB AND
VCTS FOR KDDC AFTER FOLLOWING RECENT HRRR GUIDANCE WHICH SUGGESTS
LESS OF A THREAT OF CONVECTION FOR KGCK AND KHYS. THUNDERSTORMS
COULD PRODUCE GUSTS TO 50 KNOTS AND LARGE HAIL IS ALSO A THREAT
TODAY WITH THE THUNDERSTORMS. CONVECTION SHOULD ERUPT IN THE 20-23Z
TIMEFRAME FROM ELKHART TO DODGE CITY TO LARNED AND THEN PUSH EAST
THROUGH 9 PM CDT. WINDS WILL SWITCH TO THE NORTHEAST AS THE FRONTAL
BOUNDARY/COLD POOL SURGES ACROSS THE REGION. -SUGDEN

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DDC  65  91  65  91 /  30  10  10  20
GCK  64  91  64  91 /  10  10  20  20
EHA  65  92  66  91 /  30  20  20  20
LBL  65  93  66  92 /  30  10  20  20
HYS  64  88  63  88 /  20  10  10  10
P28  69  93  67  92 /  50  10  10  10

&&

.DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

FN06/36/36
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 12, 1:59 PM CST, 1 hour 9 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
259 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011

KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-132000-
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-
259 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 2011 /159 PM MDT FRI AUG 12 2011/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...SOUTH
CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM THIS EVENING.

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO DEVELOP ALONG A COLD FRONT
THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. SEVERE WEATHER IS LIKELY WITH
DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60 MPH AND HAIL UP TO GOLFBALL SIZE. A FEW
SUPERCELLS WITH AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. THE BEST
CHANCES FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE EAST OF A LINE FROM
LACROSSE TO NEAR GARDEN CITY AND LIBERAL STARTING BETWEEN 3 AND 5
PM THIS AFTERNOON. THEY WILL PROGRESS TO THE SOUTHEAST THROUGH
MEADE, GREENSBURG, COLDWATER, PRATT, AND END BY AROUND 9 PM AT
MEDICINE LODGE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER FAR SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS
ON SATURDAY LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACROSS MUCH OF
SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT
EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MORE THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP ALSO BY
THURSDAY EVENING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED MAINLY EAST OF A LINE FROM
LACROSSE TO NEAR GARDEN CITY AND LIBERAL BY 3 TO 5 PM THIS
AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING.

&&

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/DDC

06

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 61 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:07 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

20 thunderstorm wind, 10 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Pawnee

When
August 12, 3:08 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County, 0.69 mi N of Burdett Rucker Arpt
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
38.190, -99.530

Hail, Hodgeman

When
August 12, 3:17 PM CST
Where
Hodgeman County, 2.07 mi N of Jetmore Muni Arpt
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
38.010, -99.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Hodgeman

When
August 12, 3:17 PM CST
Where
Hodgeman County, 2.07 mi N of Jetmore Muni Arpt
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
38.010, -99.880

Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.

Hail, Pawnee

When
August 12, 3:46 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County, 2.34 mi SSE of Ash Valley
Measured
2.5 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
38.270, -99.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Ford

When
August 12, 3:50 PM CST
Where
Ford County, 0.55 mi W of Wright
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
37.780, -99.890

A railroad crossing arm was blown down by the high wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Ford

When
August 12, 3:50 PM CST
Where
Ford County, 5.63 mi N of Wright
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.860, -99.860

Hail, Edwards

When
August 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Edwards County, 0.88 mi SW of Kinsley Muni Arpt
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
37.910, -99.410

Thunderstorm Wind, Edwards

When
August 12, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Edwards County, 0.88 mi SW of Kinsley Muni Arpt
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
37.910, -99.410

Winds were estimated to be 65 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Edwards

When
August 12, 4:03 PM CST
Where
Edwards County, 0.55 mi W of Kinsley Muni Arpt
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Storm Chaser
Coordinates
37.920, -99.410

Large tree limbs were blown onto the highway.

Hail, Pawnee

When
August 12, 4:08 PM CST
Where
Pawnee County, 8.72 mi NNE of Larned Pawnee Co Arp
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
38.320, -99.030

Hail, Ford

When
August 12, 4:10 PM CST
Where
Ford County, 0.55 mi W of Wright
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Storm Chaser
Coordinates
37.780, -99.890

Hail, Ford

When
August 12, 4:16 PM CST
Where
Ford County, 1.64 mi E of Wright
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
37.780, -99.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Edwards

When
August 12, 4:22 PM CST
Where
Edwards County, 2.07 mi S of Centerview
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.790, -99.270

Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.

Hail, Edwards

When
August 12, 4:29 PM CST
Where
Edwards County, 1.29 mi ENE of Centerview
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
37.830, -99.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Edwards

When
August 12, 4:29 PM CST
Where
Edwards County, 1.29 mi ENE of Centerview
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
37.830, -99.250

Quarter sized hail also fell with the high wind.

Hail, Edwards

When
August 12, 4:29 PM CST
Where
Edwards County, 1.29 mi ENE of Centerview
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
37.830, -99.250

Hail, Comanche

When
August 12, 4:34 PM CST
Where
Comanche County, 5.55 mi S of Coldwater
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
County Official
Coordinates
37.190, -99.340

Thunderstorm Wind, Edwards

When
August 12, 4:37 PM CST
Where
Edwards County, 1.38 mi S of Trousdale
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
37.800, -99.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Pratt

When
August 12, 4:39 PM CST
Where
Pratt County, 2.19 mi W of Cullison
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
37.630, -98.940

Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kiowa

When
August 12, 4:42 PM CST
Where
Kiowa County, 1.76 mi NW of Haviland Arpt
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Storm Chaser
Coordinates
37.620, -99.140

Winds were estimated to be at least 70 MPH. Trees were being shredded by the high wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kiowa

When
August 12, 4:45 PM CST
Where
Kiowa County, Haviland Arpt
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.600, -99.120

Three inch diameter tree branches were broken by the high wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pratt

When
August 12, 5:01 PM CST
Where
Pratt County, 2.82 mi ENE of Cullison
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.640, -98.850

Winds were estimated to be 65 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pratt

When
August 12, 5:07 PM CST
Where
Pratt County, 4.07 mi ENE of Cullison
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
37.650, -98.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Pratt

When
August 12, 5:12 PM CST
Where
Pratt County, 1.09 mi W of Pratt
Measured
70 kt (81 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
37.650, -98.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Kiowa

When
August 12, 5:15 PM CST
Where
Kiowa County, 2.82 mi N of Belvidere
Measured
56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.490, -99.070

Wood shingles were blown off the roof from the strong thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pratt

When
August 12, 5:16 PM CST
Where
Pratt County, 5.55 mi S of Pratt
Measured
70 kt (81 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
37.570, -98.740

Thunderstorm Wind, Pratt

When
August 12, 5:22 PM CST
Where
Pratt County, 0.55 mi W of Pratt
Measured
70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.650, -98.740

Numerous tree damage was reported in Pratt with 3 to 6 inch diameter tree limbs blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pratt

When
August 12, 5:23 PM CST
Where
Pratt County, 2.15 mi SW of Pratt
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
37.630, -98.760

Power poles were snapped off on 20th street southwest of Pratt.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pratt

When
August 12, 5:27 PM CST
Where
Pratt County, 3.02 mi NW of Sawyer
Measured
65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
37.530, -98.720

A 35 foot long trailer was blown onto a pickup.

Thunderstorm Wind, Barber

When
August 12, 5:39 PM CST
Where
Barber County, 0.69 mi N of Medicine Lodge
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
37.290, -98.580

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Kansas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, August 2011

Sources

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: 345603, 345604, 345613, 345605, 345614, 345615, 345612, 345631, 345617, 345608, 345606, 345607, 345623, 345609, 345618, 345641, 345610, 345619, 345621, 345624, 345625, 345626, 345627, 345628, 345637, 345629, 345634, 345630, 345635, 345633.