High based thunderstorms that developed in the extreme heat produced severe down burst winds in some of the storms.
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 DDC wrote it up.
High based thunderstorms that developed in the extreme heat produced severe down burst winds in some of the storms.
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 Jul 21, 2:40 PM CST, 4 hours 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 340 PM CDT THU JUL 21 2011 .SYNOPSIS... ON THE SYNOPTIC SCALE...THE UPPER LEVEL HIGH CONTINUED TO BE CENTERED OVER THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WITH INFLUENCE EXTENDING WESTWARD TOWARD THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS. A JET STREAK TIED TO STRONG SHORTWAVE TROUGH WAS LOCATED OVER THE NORTHEASTERN GREAT PLAINS NOSING INTO SOUTHWEST ONTARIO. ADDITIONAL PACIFIC JET STREAM ENERGY WAS MOVING INTO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION...REINFORCING THE COOL TEMPERATURES ACROSS THIS REGION OF THE CONUS. MID LEVEL MOISTURE 500-700MB WAS FOUND EXTENDING FROM NORTHERN MEXICO INTO WESTERN ARIZONA/EASTERN NEW MEXICO AND NORTHWARD INTO COLORADO AROUND THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE LARGE UPPER HIGH. A SMALL MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM (MCS) WAS MOVING OUT OF FAR EASTERN NEBRASKA INTO WESTERN IOWA LEAVING IN ITS WAKE A SMALL SURFACE HIGH. CONVERGENCE WAS ENHANCED IN THE LOW LEVELS SOUTH OF THIS MESOSCALE HIGH INTO NORTHERN KANSAS. THE HEAT PLUME AT THE SURFACE (WITH TEMPERATURES OF 102 TO 105F) EXTENDED FROM SOUTHWEST KANSAS NORTHEASTWARD TO THE FRONT NEAR MANHATTAN/TOPEKA KANSAS. ANOTHER CONVERGENCE AXIS...ALBEIT WEAK...EXTENDED SOUTHWEST FROM THE FRONT FROM NEAR WAKEENEY/HAYS SOUTHWEST INTO WEST CENTRAL KANSAS. AGGRESSIVE CUMULUS DEVELOPMENT WAS UNDERWAY AS OF 20Z WITH A FEW INCIPIENT THUNDERSTORMS JUST SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 70 SOUTH OF WAKEENEY AND HAYS. && .DISCUSSION... DAYS 1-2... THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO FORM DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS FROM WHERE CONVERGENCE WAS MOST ENHANCED NEAR INTERSTATE 70 SOUTHWESTWARD ALONG THE CONVERGENCE AXIS. THE RUC, NAM, AND HRRR MODELS ALL SUGGEST THIS CONVECTIVE SIGNAL THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS AND CONTINUING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS BEFORE DIMINISHING. WILL BE GOING WITH 30 TO 40 POPS GENERALLY NORTHWEST OF A MEADE TO DODGE CITY TO LARNED LINE. ORGANIZED COLD POOL GENERATION WILL LEAD TO ADDITIONAL STORMS THROUGH THE EVENING BEFORE DISSIPATION BEGINS AROUND 04 TO 06Z OR SO. HAVE LOWERED THE LOW TEMPERATURES INTO THE LOWER 70S IN THE NORTHERN CWA WHERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOST LIKELY TO IMPACT TEMPERATURES THIS EVENING/OVERNIGHT. SOUTH WINDS WILL RESUME PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE ACROSS THE DDC FA TOMORROW WITH REMNANT CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES WASHING OUT. ANOTHER DAY OF HIGHS IN THE 102 TO 105 RANGE IS EXPECTED AND WILL CONTINUE THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN THE FAR EASTERN COUNTIES OF THE DDC FA (ELLIS TO STAFFORD TO BARBER COUNTIES). AM ALSO EXPECTING A REPEAT OF DIURNALLY DRIVEN CONVECTION FRIDAY LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING IN PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AREA NORTHWESTERN HALF/THIRD OF THE FORECAST AREA...WITH MUCH OF THE SAME AREAS SEEING THE GREATEST CHANCE FOR STORMS AS WELL AS THE SAME GENERAL AREAS SEEING LITTLE OR NO CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION (PARTICULARLY CLOSER TO SOUTH-CENTRAL KANSAS ALONG THE OKLAHOMA BORDER). ANOTHER HOT ONE IS EXPECTED SATURDAY AHEAD OF THE NEXT COLD FRONT PUSH MOVING INTO NEBRASKA. WILL BE GOING WITH HIGHS 105 TO 108 ACROSS MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA AND WILL BE EXTENDING THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING INTO SATURDAY AS A RESULT FOR THE FAR EASTERN DDC FA...FOR CONTINUED DAILY MEETING/EXCEEDING OF THE 105 HEAT INDEX CRITERIA. WILL BE KEEPING PRECIPITATION CHANCES BELOW 15-20 PERCENT SATURDAY WITH THE MAIN FOCUS FOR PRECIPITATION UP IN NEBRASKA ALONG THE NEXT COLD FRONT. BETTER CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION IN THE NORTHERN COUNTIES WITH THIS NEXT FRONT WILL BE AFTER THE DAYTIME HOURS SATURDAY. DAYS 3-7... THE UPPER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE EXTENDED AN BE DESCRIBED BY A LARGE UPPER LEVEL HIGH DOMINATING MUCH OF THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES AND A TROUGH OF LOW PRESSURE FOUND ACROSS THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. ALSO...A FEW SHORTWAVE TROUGHS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE UP AND OVER THIS HIGH ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. TOWARDS THE SURFACE...A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BE FOUND ACROSS THE KS/NE BORDER SATURDAY NIGHT BEFORE MOVING BACK NORTH AS A WARM FRONT SUNDAY. A FEW STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHERN KANSAS SUNDAY MORNING...OTHERWISE PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES WILL PREVAIL. SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY INTO MONDAY LEAVING THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA UNDER MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES AND DRY CONDITIONS. ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS THEN PROGGED TO MOVE DOWN FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS TUESDAY BEFORE STALLING OUT ACROSS THE KS/NE BORDER ON WEDNESDAY. ONCE AGAIN...A FEW STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF OUR FORECAST AREA. THE REMAINDER OF OUR FORECAST AREA WILL MOST LIKELY EXPERIENCE CONTINUED DRY CONDITIONS. WINDS THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL GENERALLY BE FROM THE SOUTH ALLOWING FOR WARM AIR TO BE PUMPED IN FROM THE SOUTH. ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE EXTENDED PERIOD WITH HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 100S EACH DAY. MODELS ARE SUGGESTING EVEN WARMER TEMPERATURES ON WEDNESDAY WITH HIGHS REACHING INTO THE MID TO UPPER 100S IN SOME PLACES. LOWS WILL GENERALLY BE IN THE 70S WITH UPPER 70S FOUND ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. && .AVIATION... A STATIONARY FRONT WILL BE FOUND ACROSS NORTHERN KANSAS THIS EVENING BEFORE MOVING BACK TO THE NORTH AS A WARM FRONT TOMORROW. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HAYS TERMINAL THIS EVENING BRINGING BRIEF MVFR CONDITIONS DUE TO LOWERED VISIBILITY. OTHERWISE VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL. A FEW OF THUNDERSTORMS MAY MAKE IT TO THE GARDEN CITY AND DODGE CITY TERMINALS OVERNIGHT BUT HAVE KEPT IT OUT OF THE TAF AT THIS TIME. WINDS WILL GENERALLY BE FROM THE SOUTH AT 10 TO 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO OVER 25 KNOTS AT TIMES THIS AFTERNOON. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 75 106 76 106 / 30 20 20 10 GCK 73 102 73 105 / 40 20 20 20 EHA 72 102 72 102 / 40 20 20 10 LBL 73 105 73 106 / 30 20 20 10 HYS 72 104 74 106 / 40 20 20 20 P28 79 108 80 108 / 10 10 10 10 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT SATURDAY FOR KSZ031-046- 065-066-081-090. HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ030-045-064- 078>080-088-089. && FN25/42/42
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 318 AM CDT THU JUL 21 2011 KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-220830- 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- 318 AM CDT THU JUL 21 2011 /218 AM MDT THU JUL 21 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM CDT TO 8 PM CDT FROM TREGO TO CLARK AND FROM EDWARDS TO COMANCHE COUNTIES. SEE WEATHER MESSAGE FOR SPECIFIC DETAILS. AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE REST OF THURSDAY FROM ELLIS TO PAWNEE AND FROM STAFFORD TO BARBER COUNTIES. SEE WEATHER MESSAGE FOR SPECIFIC DETAILS. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS MORNING FROM COOLIDGE TO HAYS. PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS POSSIBLE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING HOURS NORTHWEST OF A LINE FROM ELKHART TO GARDEN CITY TO HAYS. ISOLATED WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT FRIDAY. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY EVENING FROM ELKHART TO WAKEENEY. THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE 50 MPH GUSTS ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY EVENING FROM JOHNSON TO WAKEENEY. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED...ALTHOUGH PLEASE MONITOR FUTURE FORECAST UPDATES IF THE EXPECTED CONDITIONS WERE TO CHANGE. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE NEXT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY WEDNESDAY EVENING FROM HAYS TO LARNED. IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE IF THESE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS ARE NOT LIKELY TO BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT. && FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/DDC SUGDEN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 344 PM CDT THU JUL 21 2011 KSZ031-212130- ELLIS- 344 PM CDT THU JUL 21 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN ELLIS COUNTY... AT 341 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ANTONINO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. SMALL HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LAT...LON 3898 9929 3870 9923 3870 9959 3885 9959 TIME...MOT...LOC 2043Z 240DEG 12KT 3881 9945
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
424 PM CDT THU JUL 21 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0415 PM TSTM WND GST 5 WNW HAYS 38.91N 99.40W
07/21/2011 E55 MPH ELLIS KS PUBLIC
A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC REPORTED PEA SIZED HAIL AND
ESTIMATED WINDS OF 55 MPH WITH A PASSING STORM WEST OF
HAYS.
&&
WHOVORKASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 639 PM CDT THU JUL 21 2011 KSZ044-045-220030- LANE-NESS- 639 PM CDT THU JUL 21 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN LANE AND NORTHWESTERN NESS COUNTIES... AT 635 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF ALAMOTA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LAT...LON 3869 10030 3868 9989 3845 10021 3852 10035 TIME...MOT...LOC 2338Z 212DEG 12KT 3853 10024
The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 103 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:40 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds were estimated to be at least 70 MPH. The roof off a barn was removed by the high wind and most outbuildings were damaged.
Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.
Two power poles were blown down near mile marker 56 on highway 160.
Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.
Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.
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, July 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: 338588, 338590, 338591, 338592, 338589, 338593, 338594, 338595.