An extended period of dry weather continued to ease across portions of South Central and Southeast Kansas during the month of December 2011. Some welcome rainfall, in the form of widespread rainfall and a few embedded thunderstorms, did fall across most of the region during the beginning and middle of the month.
Every event with a place to put it; 16 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.
An extended period of dry weather continued to ease across portions of South Central and Southeast Kansas during the month of December 2011. Some welcome rainfall, in the form of widespread rainfall and a few embedded thunderstorms, did fall across most of the region during the beginning and middle of the month. This brought continued drought relief, with most areas seeing the second consecutive month of above normal rainfall. This was the first extended stretch of above normal rainfall in almost a year. Portions of South Central and Southern Kansas saw continued drought improvement, as some areas in Southeast Kansas went from a severe drought (D2) to a moderate drought (D1). Other areas of South Central Kansas remained in an extreme drought (D3).
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 Nov 30, 10:39 PM CST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 1039 PM CST WED NOV 30 2011 .AVIATION...06Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU MVFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS BEHIND A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE ON THURSDAY MORNING. STRATOCU CIGS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS LATER IN THE DAY ON THURSDAY THOUGH EXPECTED TO REMAIN AT LOW END OF THE VFR CATEGORY. GUSTY NORTH WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED A FEW HOUR AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. KED && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 548 PM CST WED NOV 30 2011/ AVIATION...00Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU MVFR CIGS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS BEHIND A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE ON THURSDAY MORNING. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE THRU A BIT QUICKER THAN IN THE PREVIOUS FORECAST...SO HAVE MOVED UP THE WIND SHIFT IN THE TERMINALS BY A FEW HOURS. KED PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 334 PM CST WED NOV 30 2011/ DISCUSSION... MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE: PRECIPITATION TYPE AND TIMING FOR WEEKEND SYSTEM AS WELL AS TEMPERATURES WITH THE VARIATIONS IN THE THERMAL GRADIENT. SYNOPSIS: WESTERN CONUS TROUGH REMAINS IN ITS DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS AND THE TROUGH ALONG THE EASTERN CONUS CONTINUES NORTHEASTWARD TRACK. AT THE SURFACE...THE LOW PRESSURE DEEPENING ALONG THE FRONT RANGE OF THE ROCKIES WILL START TO SLIDE THE RESPECTIVE COLD FRONT THROUGH KANSAS ESSENTIALLY SPLITTING THE WEST FROM EAST OVERNIGHT. THIS FRONT IS STILL ON PATH TO GO THROUGH THE CWA DURING THE DAY ON THURSDAY. TONIGHT TO THURSDAY: A DEEPENING TROUGH CURRENTLY OVER THE NORTHERN ROCKIES/GREAT BASIN WILL SPLIT INTO A NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN PIECE OF ENERGY. THE NORTHERN IMPULSE WILL PROGRESS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS...DRAGGING A STRONG COLD FRONT SOUTH ACROSS MID-AMERICA TONIGHT-THURSDAY. THINKING THE FRONT WILL REACH CENTRAL KS SHORTLY BEFORE DAYBREAK...AND THE TURNPIKE CORRIDOR AROUND LUNCHTIME. GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS ARE ANTICIPATED BEHIND THE FRONT...ALONG WITH COLDER TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S AND 40S AND LOW CLOUDS INCREASING FROM THE NORTH. PER NAM/GFS CONSENSUS...COULD BE FLIRTING WITH WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA OVER CENTRAL KS. AS ELEVATED FRONTAL ZONE ENCROACHES FROM THE NORTH...COULD SEE A FEW SPRINKLES AND/OR FLURRIES OVER CENTRAL/NORTHERN KS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ALTHOUGH NOT EXPECTING MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION. FRIDAY TO SATURDAY: THIS IS THE BIG SHOW FOR THIS FORECAST THUS THE MOST CHALLENGING PORTION AS MENTIONED ABOVE. PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IS THE LATEST MODEL RUN OF THE NAM WHICH IS THE LONE RANGER ON BRINGING PRECIP CHANCES IN 12 HOURS BEFORE OTHERS JOIN THE PARTY. SINCE THE ECMWF AND GFS HAVE HAD DECENT CONSISTENCY...HAVE DECIDED TO IGNORE THE LATEST NAM FOR NOW. IF THE TREND CONTINUES THOUGH...THIS MAY MAKE LATER FORECASTS PONDER EARLIER TRENDS ON PRECIP. CONFIDENCE IS STILL HIGH THAT PRECIP CHANCES ARE BEST FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY WHEN MOISTURE GETS PULLED IN. THE SET-UP OF THE THERMAL GRADIENT IS A BIT OF CHALLENGE WITH A BRIEF PERIOD OF COLD AIR ADVECTION AT 700MB ON FRIDAY AROUND 18Z FOR SOUTHERN KANSAS WITH WARM AIR ADVECTION FURTHER NORTH THAT WILL COME IN FOR THE LATTER TIME FRAME. AT 00Z ON SATURDAY OR FRIDAY EVENING...WARM AIR ADVECTION AT 850 AND 700MB MAKES TRYING TO DETERMINE PRECIP TIME A BIT OF AN ISSUE. ECMWF IS STILL ON ITS WARMER TREND WHICH WOULD KEEP SNOW AWAY UNTIL LATE SATURDAY. GFS MODEL SOUNDINGS INDICATIVE OF RAIN ON FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY TO START WITH FOR AREAS FROM A MARION TO SUMNER LINE AND EAST...BUT EXPECT WEST OF THERE TO HAVE A CHANCE OF RAIN-FREEZING RAIN WITH THE COLDER AIR. THE DOMINANT TYPE IS EXPECTED TO BE RAIN ON SATURDAY WITH 850MB TEMPS AT 2 TO 8 DEGREES C. HOWEVER THE TIGHTENED THERMAL GRADIENT STRETCHES THE 0 DEGREE C LINE FROM NORTH CENTRAL TO SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS MAKING CHANCES OF SNOW OR FREEZING PRECIP FOR CENTRAL KANSAS. HAVE DECIDED TO UP POPS ON SATURDAY FOR THE 6-12Z TIMEFRAME BASED ON GOOD CONSISTENCY AND LIKELIHOOD. OTHERWISE POPS WERE NOT MODIFIED VERY MUCH IF AT ALL. THIS IS CERTAINLY A MESSY PERIOD WHICH COULD GET SMOOTHED OUT WITH THE UPCOMING FORECASTS. SUNDAY TO WEDNESDAY: COOL IS PROBABLY THE BEST WORD TO DESCRIBE THIS TIME PERIOD. AFTER THE LOW EXITS THE AREA...COOL CANADIAN AIR IS GOING TO SINK IN. THIS WILL LEAVE TEMPERATURES IN THE 30S FOR SUNDAY TO TUESDAY. STILL LOOKING DRY THUS KEPT THE FORECAST AS SUCH. JUANITA AVIATION...18Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU MAIN AVIATION CONCERNS ARE GUSTY WINDS THIS AFTERNOON...WIND SHIFT ASSOCIATED WITH COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE THURS MORNING...AND POTENTIAL FOR LOW CLOUDS BEHIND THE FRONT THURS MORNING. GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS...WITH GUSTS APPROACHING 30KTS IN SOME AREAS. A COLD FRONT WILL SLIDE SOUTHEAST ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH- CENTRAL KANSAS THURS MORNING...APPROACHING KICT NEAR THE END OF THE TAF VALID PERIOD. BEHIND THE FRONT...WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME GUSTY FROM THE NORTH LATE IN THE PERIOD...ESPECIALLY ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS. THERE IS ALSO THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME LOW CLOUDS TO DEVELOP BEHIND THE FRONT AS LOW LEVELS MOISTEN...WITH REDUCED MVFR CEILINGS POSSIBLE. JAM && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 31 46 24 36 / 0 0 10 10 HUTCHINSON 29 42 22 36 / 0 0 10 10 NEWTON 30 44 23 34 / 0 0 10 10 ELDORADO 31 47 25 35 / 0 0 10 10 WINFIELD-KWLD 31 51 26 38 / 0 0 10 10 RUSSELL 29 38 16 35 / 0 10 10 10 GREAT BEND 29 38 17 34 / 0 10 10 10 SALINA 29 41 21 37 / 0 10 10 10 MCPHERSON 28 42 21 36 / 0 0 10 10 COFFEYVILLE 31 56 31 43 / 0 0 10 10 CHANUTE 29 54 28 41 / 0 0 10 10 IOLA 29 53 27 41 / 0 0 10 10 PARSONS-KPPF 31 56 30 42 / 0 0 10 10 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 406 PM CST WED NOV 30 2011 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-012215- 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- 406 PM CST WED NOV 30 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY SNOW FLURRIES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE OVER CENTRAL KANSAS THURSDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. THE NEXT MAJOR WEATHER SYSTEM WILL IMPACT THE REGION THIS WEEKEND. PRECIPITATION TYPE IS STILL IN QUESTION...BUT THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE FOR WINTRY MIX BEHIND THE SYSTEM. FREEZING RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS AREAS MAINLY NORTH AND WEST OF A LINE STRETCHING FROM SALINA TO HARPER. DURING THE DAY ON SATURDAY MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL FALL AS RAIN...BUT WILL TRANSITION TO A WINTRY MIX FROM WEST TO EAST AS THE SYSTEM MOVES EASTWARD AND THE COLDER AIR INFILTRATES THE AREA. WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE PRECIPITATION TYPE AND TIMING...IT IS DIFFICULT TO PIN DOWN A SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION ESTIMATE AT THIS TIME. ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE MOST LIKELY OVER CENTRAL KANSAS WHERE THE COLDER AIR WILL BE IN PLACE LONGER. PLEASE CONTINUE TO WATCH THE FORECAST FOR THIS WEEKEND AS DETAILS MAY CHANGE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
16 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought (D2) continued across Southeast Kansas during the first part of the month, but rainfall early in the month and late in the month actually improved the drought conditions by the middle of December. The drought remained at severe levels (D2) across the area until December 13th.
Severe drought (D2) continued across Southeast Kansas during the first part of the month, but rainfall early in the month and late in the month actually improved the drought conditions by the middle of December. The drought remained at severe levels (D2) across the area until December 13th.
Severe drought (D2) continued across South Central Kansas during the first part of the month, but rainfall early in the month and in the middle of the month actually improved the drought conditions by the middle of December. The drought remained at severe levels (D2) across the area until December 13th.
Severe drought (D2) continued across Southeast Kansas during the month of December, but rainfall early in the month and late in the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of December.
Severe drought (D2) continued across Southeast Kansas during the month of December, but rainfall early in the month and late in the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of December.
Severe drought (D2) continued across Southeast Kansas during the month of December, but rainfall early in the month and late in the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of December.
Severe drought (D2) continued across the Flint Hills during the month of December, but rainfall early in the month and late in the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of December.
Severe drought (D2) continued across the Flint Hills during the month of December, but rainfall early in the month and late in the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of December.
Severe drought (D2) continued across Southeast Kansas during the month of December, but rainfall early in the month and late in the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of December.
Severe drought (D2) continued across South Central Kansas during the month of December, but rainfall early in the month and in the middle of the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of December.
Severe drought (D2) continued across South Central Kansas during the month of December, but rainfall early in the month and in the middle of the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of December.
Extreme drought (D3) continued across South Central Kansas during the month December, but rainfall early in the month and in the middle of the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of the December. This was a continued improvement in the drought since the drought began in late April. This was the second straight month with above normal precipitation, which hasn't occurred since last March.
Extreme drought (D3) continued across South Central Kansas during the month December, but rainfall early in the month and in the middle of the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of the December. This was a continued improvement in the drought since the drought began in late April. This was the second straight month with above normal precipitation, which hasn't occurred since last March.
Extreme drought (D3) continued across South Central Kansas during the month December, but rainfall early in the month and in the middle of the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of the December. This was a continued improvement in the drought since the drought began in late April. This was the second straight month with above normal precipitation, which hasn't occurred since last March.
Extreme drought (D3) continued across South Central Kansas during the month December, but rainfall early in the month and in the middle of the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of the December. This was a continued improvement in the drought since the drought began in late April. This was the second straight month with above normal precipitation, which hasn't occurred since last March.
Extreme drought (D3) continued across South Central Kansas during the month December, but rainfall early in the month and in the middle of the month actually improved the drought conditions by the end of the December. This was a continued improvement in the drought since the drought began in late April. This was the second straight month with above normal precipitation, which hasn't occurred since last March.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, December 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: 358042, 358044, 358045, 358047, 358053, 358054, 358055, 358056, 358057, 358058, 358059, 358064, 358066, 358067, 358069, 358070.