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; 1 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 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, 3 hours 52 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.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
207 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0205 PM TSTM WND GST BURLINGTON 39.31N 102.27W
05/24/2011 M59 MPH KIT CARSON CO ASOS
&&
BASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
211 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0210 PM HAIL 16 S BURLINGTON 39.07N 102.27W
05/24/2011 E1.00 INCH KIT CARSON CO TRAINED SPOTTER
HAIL BEGINNING TO COVER THE GROUND
&&
BASPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
213 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0208 PM TSTM WND GST BURLINGTON 39.31N 102.27W
05/24/2011 M61 MPH KIT CARSON CO ASOS
&&
BASSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
223 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011
COZ092-KSZ027-242100-
CHEYENNE COUNTY-WALLACE-
223 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 AND
WALLACE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL KANSAS...
AT 220 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 13 MILES SOUTH OF ARAPAHOE...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 3889 10224 3891 10195 3870 10196 3870 10205
3861 10205 3861 10219 3861 10220
TIME...MOT...LOC 2023Z 177DEG 12KT 3869 10208
JRMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
228 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011
KSZ041-242100-
GREELEY-
228 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GOODLAND HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR GREELEY COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL KANSAS...
AT 224 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 13 MILES WEST OF HORACE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35
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 3848 10205 3868 10205 3870 10203 3869 10161
3844 10196
TIME...MOT...LOC 2028Z 211DEG 31KT 3856 10200
JRMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
251 PM MDT TUE MAY 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0251 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 2 W RULETON 39.34N 101.92W
05/24/2011 SHERMAN KS NWS EMPLOYEE
FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED ABOUT 1/4 OF THE WAY DOWN FROM
CLOUD BASE.
&&
DLFThe Goodland radar (KGLD), 18 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:01 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Employee reported that three windows were broken by wind-blown hail, with some minor roof damage also occurring.
Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were also reported.
Game warden reported two circle pivot irrigation systems damaged. Wind speed and time estimated from nearby Goodland ASOS wind report of 79 mph.
Sections of fence blown down as well as a tree. Wind-driven half inch diameter hail persisted for 20 minutes causing hail damage to trees and property.
A power pole was reported down on Highway 24.
Wind speed estimated from ASOS report at Goodland and nearby power pole damage.
Eight power poles were reported broken near Monument with all poles laying to the east.
A power pole was reported down from thunderstorm wind.
A live seven-inch diameter tree limb was blown down, and several pieces of tin roofing were removed from a shed. Time of event estimated.
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, 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: 298134, 298148, 298135, 298136, 298137, 298138, 298139, 298141, 298164, 298142, 298143, 298145, 298144, 298146.