Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms affected portions of south-central and southeast Kansas during the afternoon and early evening hours on the 3rd, in response to a weak cold front approaching from the north. Numerous reports of 60 to 70 mph winds were received, although damage inflicted was relatively minor.
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 ICT wrote it up.
Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms affected portions of south-central and southeast Kansas during the afternoon and early evening hours on the 3rd, in response to a weak cold front approaching from the north. Numerous reports of 60 to 70 mph winds were received, although damage inflicted was relatively minor.
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 Jul 3, 1:53 PM CST, 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 253 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 .DISCUSSION... A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING EAST ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS HAS HELPED BREAK DOWN THE PERSISTENT RIDGE AND CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW HAS BROUGHT SOME SOME RELIEF FROM THE RECENT HEAT ACROSS CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EASTWARD ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AND MOVE EAST INTO THE INSTABILITY AXIS IMPACTING MAINLY SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. A FEW STRONG STORMS WITH DOWNBURST WINDS AND SMALL HAIL WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE THROUGH THE EVENING. INCREASED POPS ACROSS MAINLY SOUTHEAST KANSAS TO REFLECT THE LATEST RADAR/SATELLITE DATA WHILE MAINTAINING LOW POPS AFTER 06Z ALTHOUGH MUCH OF THE ACTIVITY SHOULD BE EAST OF THE AREA. INDEPENDENCE DAY-TUESDAY: THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE IS PROGGED TO BUILD EASTWARD OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY WHILE THE REMNANT FRONTAL BOUNDARY MAY PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR ISOLATED AFTERNOON THUNDERSTORMS TO SPRING UP ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN KANSAS. ANY ACTIVITY THAT DEVELOPS SHOULD BE DIURNALLY DRIVEN AND DIMINISH THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS. A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS ON TUESDAY WILL HELP DRIVE A COLD FRONT SOUTH TO NEAR THE NE/KS STATE LINE LATE IN THE DAY. SOUTH OF THIS FRONT...TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY APPROACH 100 DEGREES WHILE CHANCES FOR WIDESPREAD WETTING RAINS APPEAR LOW. ISOLATED DIURNAL THUNDERSTORMS MAY REMAIN POSSIBLE WITHIN DEEPLY MIXED/WEAKLY CAPPED AIRMASS BUT COVERAGE SHOULD REMAIN ISOLATED AT BEST. WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY...DEEP MOIST CONVECTION ALONG THE KS/NE STATE LINE TUE NIGHT/EARLY WED MAY HELP DRIVE A COLD FRONT SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY AND TRENDED MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES DOWN. THE FRONT MAY ALSO PROVIDE A FOCUS FOR DEEP MOIST CONVECTION ACROSS THE AREA. THIS FRONT IS PROGGED TO MEANDER OVER THE AREA THROUGH FRIDAY WITH CONTINUED CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AND A RETURN TO MORE SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES IN THE 90S. SAT-SUN...THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE IS PROGGED TO EXPAND EASTWARD OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS STATES WITH A RETURN TO DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS AND RISING TEMPERATURES. MWM && .AVIATION...18Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU MAIN ISSUE WILL STILL BE LOCATION/TIMING/COVERAGE OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING. SHEAR AXIS/SHORTWAVE HAS KEPT STORMS GOING THROUGHOUT THE MORNING AND SUSPECT WITH INCREASING TEMPERATURES/ INSTABILITY WILL SEE AN INCREASE IN COVERAGE/INTENSITY THIS AFTERNOON...ESPECIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WHICH IS NEAR HIGHWAY 400. THIS BOUNDARY HAS STARTED TO SLOWLY RETREAT NORTH DURING THE PAST HOUR. HAVE INCLUDED TEMPO GROUP FOR THUNDERSTORMS AT KSLN/KHUT/KICT WHERE STORMS ARE PROBABLE DURING THE AFTERNOON. TIMING IS A BIT MORE DIFFICULT AT KCNU...WHETHER IT WILL BE CONVECTIVE TEMPERATURES OR WAVE/BOUNDARY THAT INITIATES THE STORMS. WITH MULTIPLE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES LIKELY...WINDS ARE GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT...BUT SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF SOUTHEAST COMPONENT BY MON MORNING. -HOWERTON && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 72 101 76 102 / 30 20 10 10 HUTCHINSON 72 101 76 102 / 30 10 10 10 NEWTON 72 100 75 100 / 30 20 10 10 ELDORADO 72 99 74 99 / 30 20 10 10 WINFIELD-KWLD 72 101 75 101 / 40 20 10 10 RUSSELL 68 100 71 102 / 20 10 10 10 GREAT BEND 69 100 72 102 / 20 10 10 0 SALINA 71 100 74 102 / 20 20 10 10 MCPHERSON 71 101 76 102 / 20 10 10 10 COFFEYVILLE 72 97 75 99 / 40 20 20 10 CHANUTE 72 96 74 98 / 40 20 20 10 IOLA 72 95 73 97 / 40 20 20 10 PARSONS-KPPF 72 97 75 98 / 40 20 20 10 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 213 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-041915- 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- 213 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH THIS EVENING. SEVERAL STRONG STORMS AND ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE EXPECTED. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE STRONG TO DAMAGING WINDS AS THE STORMS COLLAPSE. HEAT INDICES WILL BE BETWEEN 100 AND 104 THIS AFTERNOON OVER SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY HEAT INDICES WILL CONTINUE TO BE AROUND 100 DEGREES ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY...AND THEN AGAIN ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. THUNDERSTORMS MAY LINGER INTO MONDAY OVER SOUTHEAST KANSAS. MORE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP HAVE THE POTENTIAL OF BEING STRONG. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT DUE TO THE BRIEF AND ISOLATED NATURE OF THE STRONGER STORMS. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP HOWERTON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 227 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 KSZ067-032000- RENO- 227 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEAST RENO COUNTY... AT 225 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTH OF SOUTH HUTCHINSON...OR 9 MILES SOUTH OF HUTCHINSON...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. HOWERTON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 235 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 KSZ083-032000- SEDGWICK- 235 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHWEST SEDGWICK COUNTY... AT 234 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ANDALE...OR 15 MILES WEST OF DOWNTOWN WICHITA...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. HOWERTON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 237 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 KSZ069-032000- BUTLER- 237 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BUTLER COUNTY... AT 236 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES EAST OF EL DORADO...AND MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. HOWERTON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 247 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 KSZ082-032015- KINGMAN- 247 PM CDT SUN JUL 3 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN KINGMAN COUNTY... AT 245 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CUNNINGHAM...OR 17 MILES EAST OF PRATT... AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. HOWERTON
The Wichita radar (KICT), 10 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:54 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind, 2 lightning, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A fireworks tent was blown over causing two minor injuries.
Winds were estimated around 50 to 60 mph on the west side of Cheney Lake.
Pea to marble size hail also occurred with the wind.
A few 60 mph gusts were noted.
A KWCH storm chaser estimated winds around 60 mph at the intersection of 135th and Central.
Winds were estimated around 50 to 60 mph near the intersection of 21st and 119th.
Winds were estimated around 60 mph near the intersection of Central and 119th.
Winds were estimated around 65 mph.
Winds estimated around 65 mph produced some sporadic damage in Potwin, including a downed light pole, a roof blown off the backstop at a ballfield, and some downed tree limbs.
A few tree limbs were downed.
Winds were estimated around 60 mph.
Measured by a KSN Weatherlab.
Measured at the Winfield Airport.
The report was relayed by emergency management.
The hail covered the ground, and occurred with winds estimated around 55 mph.
A house fire was started by lightning in southeast Wichita. No other information is available, so property damage amounts are rough estimates.
Lightning caught a small shed on fire. The shed was a total loss.
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: 335796, 335797, 335798, 335799, 335800, 335801, 335802, 335803, 335804, 335805, 335806, 335807, 335808, 335812, 335813, 335817, 336412.