An upper level disturbance and associated frontal boundary sparked a few strong to severe thunderstorms over portions of western and central Kansas during the evening hours on the 29th. The storms produced winds up to 70 mph, resulting in some damage in the Russell area.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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 upper level disturbance and associated frontal boundary sparked a few strong to severe thunderstorms over portions of western and central Kansas during the evening hours on the 29th. The storms produced winds up to 70 mph, resulting in some damage in the Russell area. Additionally, high winds of 60 to 70 mph were generated as the storms collapsed, producing some damage in the Waldo area in Russell county.
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 May 29, 5:37 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 637 PM CDT SUN MAY 29 2011 .UPDATE... WHILE AN ISOLATED STORM OR TWO WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE UNTIL DARK ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS...IT APPEARS THE GREATER COVERAGE AND RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS MAY STAY JUST NORTH AND NORTHWEST OF THE AREA ALONG THE NORTHWARD MIGRATING WARM FRONT THIS EVENING. THIS IS WHERE THE RUC SHOWED THE BEST COMBO OF INSTABILITY...SHEAR AND HELICITY VALUES FOR ROTATING/SEVERE STORMS. FURTHER SOUTH THE CIRROFORM CANOPY FROM THE PANHANDLE CONVECTION SHOULD DECREASE INSTABILITY TOWARD SUNSET AND LIMIT THE SEVERE POTENTIAL SOMEWHAT DOWNSTREAM THAT WOULD IMPACT MOST OF THE COUNTIES IN OUR COUNTY WARNING AREA. HOWEVER FOR NOW WILL CONTINUE THE SEVERE WATCH FOR THE ISOLATED STRONG/SEVERE POTENTIAL. KED && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 619 PM CDT SUN MAY 29 2011/ AVIATION...00Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO PREVAIL THRU THE FORECAST VALID PERIOD. ISOLATED DIURNAL CONVECTION IN PROXIMITY TO THE SURFACE DRY-LINE AND WARM FRONT MAY AFFECT A SMALL PART OF CENTRAL KANSAS...IN VICINITY OF KRSL UNTIL DARK THIS EVENING. OTHERWISE STRONG SOUTH WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN WEATHER STORY TONIGHT AND MEMORIAL DAY. A VIGOROUS UPPER TROF WILL LIFT NORTHEAST FROM THE ROCKIES INTO THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS ON MONDAY...WITH A TIGHT GRADIENT SURFACE/LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY WIND FLOW ACROSS THE AREA. KED PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 307 PM CDT SUN MAY 29 2011/ DISCUSSION... MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS WILL BE HEADLINES FOR STRONG WINDS ON MON ALONG WITH CONVECTIVE CHANCES LATE MON AFTERNOON THROUGH MON EVENING. SYNOPSIS: IN THE UPPER LEVELS CURRENTLY HAVE A PRONOUNCED SHORTWAVE OVER THE CENTRAL GREAT BASIN WITH ANOTHER PIECE OF ENERGY DIVING SOUTHEAST WEST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA. AT THE SURFACE...LOW PRESSURE CONTINUES TO DEEPEN OVER EAST-CENTRAL CO. MEANWHILE A DIFFUSE WARM FRONT EXTENDS FROM NORTH OF KDDC TO NEAR KGBD TO NEAR KSLN. TONIGHT-MON: THERE LOOKS TO STILL BE A REMOTE CHANCE OF A STORM DEVELOPING OVER WEST-CENTRAL KS EARLY THIS EVENING WITH CONFIDENCE EXTREMELY LOW IN THIS OCCURRING. THE LAST TWO DAYS THE SHORT TERM MODELS WERE CONSISTENT IN DEVELOPING CONVECTION OVER NORTHERN OK BUT THE CAP ENDED UP WINNING OUT AND FEEL IT SHOULD AGAIN THIS EVENING. THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR EARLY EVENING CONVECTION LOOKS TO BE OVER THE OK/TX PANHANDLES WHERE THE DRYLINE IS MORE DEFINED WITH TEMPS SPIKING TO AROUND 100. STRONG SOUTH WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN ON MON. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH ENOUGH TO RUN WITH A HIGH END WIND ADVISORY AREA WIDE FOR MON. THE EXCEPTION IS OVER A FEW CENTRAL KS COUNTIES WHERE IT STILL APPEARS WIND WARNING CRITERIA MAYBE POSSIBLE AS THEY MIX TO AROUND 750-700MB. THEREFORE LEFT THOSE FOUR COUNTIES IN THE HIGH WIND WATCH AND WILL LET THE MIDNIGHT SHIFT TAKE ANOTHER GANDER AT IT. A FEW STORMS STILL LOOK TO DEVELOP ALONG THE DRYLINE LATER MON AFTERNOON INTO EARLY MON EVENING AS SOME COOLER MID LEVEL TEMPS START TO ADVECT IN. BEFORE 00Z RUSSELL AND BARTON COUNTIES WOULD BE THE MOST LIKELY AFFECTED. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE NUMEROUS AROUND 00Z AS THE LOW LEVEL FLOW BACKS...INCREASING CONVERGENCE ALONG THE DRYLINE. IN ADDITION THE RIGHT ENTRANCE REGION OF AN UPPER JET WILL SLIDE OVER THE AREA. THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD DIMINISH IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY AS IT GETS EAST OF THE BETTER FORCING AFTER 06Z TUE. TUE-TUE NIGHT: A FEW STORMS LOOK TO BE POSSIBLE OVER SE KS ON TUE AFTERNOON ALONG THE STALLED SURFACE FRONT. WITH COOLER MID LEVEL TEMPS CAPPING WILL NOT BE AN ISSUE WITH THE MAIN LIMITING FACTOR BEING LACK OF SURFACE CONVERGENCE. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL RAPIDLY LIFT BACK TO THE NORTHWEST ON TUE NIGHT. THIS MAY RESULT IN SOME ISO-SCT CONVECTION AFTER DARK. HOWEVER THERE IS AGREEMENT THAT SOME CAPPING WILL BE IN PLACE ABOVE 850MB. THEREFORE WILL NOT INCREASE TO CHANCE POPS AND JUST LEAVE SLIGHTS IN. WED-SUN: MEDIUM RANGE MODELS REMAIN CONSISTENT IN BUILDING A STRONG UPPER RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN PLAINS THROUGH THESE EXTENDED PERIODS. EVEN THOUGH BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF AGREE ON TRYING TO SNEAK AN UPPER IMPULSE UNDER THE DEVELOPING RIDGE ON WED...NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO INSERT POPS AT THIS TIME. DID NOT CHANGE TEMPS MUCH AT ALL FROM WHAT THE PREVIOUS FORECAST HAD WITH MID AND UPPER 90S AREA WIDE BY THU AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE WEEKEND. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA FLIRT WITH THE CENTURY MARK THROUGH MANY OF THESE DAYS. LAWSON AVIATION...Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU VFR IS EXPECTED TO PREVAIL THROUGH THE 24-HOUR TAF PERIOD. VERY TRANSIENT MVFR CIGS NEAR THE WARM FRONT MAY LINGER DURING THE FIRST HOUR OF THE FORECAST ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS NEAR KRSL-KSLN WITH VFR ANTICIPATED THEREAFTER. VERY STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH SUSTAINED WINDS IN THE 22-30 KNOT RANGE TODAY POSSIBLY INCREASING INTO THE 30-36 KNOT RANGE ON MONDAY. MWM && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 74 90 69 87 / 10 10 30 20 HUTCHINSON 73 90 67 86 / 10 10 30 10 NEWTON 73 89 69 85 / 10 10 30 10 ELDORADO 72 88 70 86 / 10 10 30 20 WINFIELD-KWLD 74 89 70 87 / 10 10 30 20 RUSSELL 72 91 58 84 / 10 20 60 10 GREAT BEND 73 92 61 85 / 10 20 60 10 SALINA 73 90 64 85 / 10 10 40 10 MCPHERSON 73 90 66 86 / 10 10 40 10 COFFEYVILLE 71 87 72 85 / 10 10 20 20 CHANUTE 70 87 71 85 / 10 10 20 30 IOLA 70 87 71 85 / 10 10 20 30 PARSONS-KPPF 70 87 72 85 / 10 10 20 20 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 AM TO 8 PM CDT MONDAY FOR KSZ049>053- 067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ050>053-067>069- 082-083-091>093. HIGH WIND WATCH FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH MONDAY EVENING FOR KSZ032-033-047-048. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 408 PM CDT SUN MAY 29 2011 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-301915- 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- 408 PM CDT SUN MAY 29 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY EVENING AND A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS. THERE IS A REMOTE CHANCE AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS COULD DEVELOP ALONG A DRY LINE THIS EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS...MAINLY NORTHWEST OF A SALINA TO LYONS LINE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL AFFECT MUCH OF THE AREA ON MONDAY. WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE HIGHEST GUSTS OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. CAMPERS AND ESPECIALLY BOATERS NEED TO USE EXTRA CAUTION ON AREA LAKES MONDAY. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST WIND ADVISORIES AND HIGH WIND WATCHES FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA FROM LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY NIGHT. A FEW OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 135. THE MAIN THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY OVER SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND AREA WIDE ON TUESDAY NIGHT. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED...A FEW STRONG STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. .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 JMC/MWM/LAWSON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 725 PM CDT SUN MAY 29 2011 KSZ032-300100- RUSSELL- 725 PM CDT SUN MAY 29 2011 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RUSSELL COUNTY... AT 720 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR GORHAM...OR 9 MILES WEST OF RUSSELL...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. DIME SIZED HAIL AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. PEOPLE IN RUSSELL COUNTY...SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. A WARNING MAY BE NEEDED IF THE STORM MAINTAINS INTENSITY AND MOVES INTO THE AREA. BE READY TO SEEK SHELTER IF SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS. ES
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
749 PM CDT SUN MAY 29 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0749 PM HAIL GORHAM 38.88N 99.02W
05/29/2011 E0.25 INCH RUSSELL KS LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
SGSThe Dodge City radar (KDDC), 159 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:50 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Winds estimated around 65 mph downed six-inch tree limbs, and also blew over a residential television antenna.
Measured by KSN WeatherLab equipment at Ruppenthal Middle School.
Collapsing thunderstorms produced winds estimated around 60 mph in the Waldo area. The strong winds peeled back and blew away a portion of the senior center roof.
Reported at the Russell Airport. Collapsing thunderstorms produced winds around 60 mph in the Russell area.
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: 312556, 312557, 312559, 312560.