Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 30, 2011

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, May 30, 2011
Start: 2011-05-30T19:58
End: 2011-05-30T21:49
Location: Kansas

May 30, 2011 · NWS GID · 7 events in 5 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS GID wrote it up.

The mid-to-late evening hours of Memorial Day 2011 brought a fairly widespread round of strong to severe winds to much of North Central Kansas, as a narrow, intense line of storms marched from west to east across the majority of the six-county area. Along nearly the entire length of this northeast-southwest oriented squall line were estimated or measured wind gusts of 60-70 MPH, with a home weather station near Webber in Jewell County recording the highest known measured gust of 72 MPH. Other measured wind gusts included 69 MPH at the Smith Center airport, and 58 MPH at the Phillipsburg airport. Although specific reports of damage were limited, there was likely at least minor tree and power line damage in parts of the area. Along with the winds, there were also a few reports of quarter size hail.

Focusing on timing, the initial severe storm development along the squall line took place to the north across central and south central Nebraska during the late afternoon and early evening hours. The line of storms eventually built south into Kansas as it moved east, first affecting Phillips and Rooks Counties between 8 and 9 PM CDT, and eventually exiting Jewell and Mitchell Counties between 1130 PM and 1230 AM CDT.

The synoptic and mesoscale environment was certainly ripe for a damaging, linear wind event. Earlier in the day, a strong pressure gradient brought hours of sustained 30-40 MPH winds and frequent gusts of 45-50 MPH to North Central Kansas, as a 994 millibar surface low pressure system organized near the Colorado-Kansas border. Aloft, a powerful, negatively tilted upper level trough centered across the Central and Northern Rockies gradually ejected northeast toward the Northern Plains, allowing considerable large scale forcing and increasing wind fields to overspread northern Kansas, including 60-70 knot southwesterly flow at 500 millibars. Lower in the atmosphere, southerly low-level jet winds at 850 millibars increased to around 60 knots. At the surface, a pronounced cold front sliced through the area, providing sharp linear forcing for development of the squall line. Mesoscale severe weather parameters at mid-evening included mixed layer CAPE values around 2500 J/kg, and deep-layer vertical wind shear of at least 40-60 knots. As the evening wore on, 0-1 kilometer low-level bulk shear ramped up to notably strong values of 40-50 knots, providing a very favorable environment for damaging winds.

What forecasters said that day

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 Hastings, NE wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 30, 7:48 PM CST, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 30, 7:48 PM CST, 10 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
848 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

.UPDATE...JUST QUICK UPDATE WITH THE WATCH CHANGES.

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 707 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011/

UPDATE...AFTER A LONG WAIT...POTENTIALLY STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS
FINALLY STARTING TO BUILD DOWN INTO WESTERN DAWSON COUNTY AS OF
00Z. 23Z RUC STEADILY BUILDS CONVECTION EASTWARD/SOUTHWARD ACROSS
MOST OF CWA THROUGH THE EVENING...WITH OVERALL THINKING FROM
AFTERNOON DISCUSSION BELOW STILL INTACT...ALTHOUGH QUESTIONS ABOUT
AREAL COVERAGE STILL REMAIN. STILL CANNOT RULE OUT A BRIEF TORNADO
WITH LOW LEVEL SHEAR RAMPING UP...BUT QUASI-LINEAR MODE SHOULD
FAVOR DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. WIND HEADLINES CONTINUE AS
IS...WITH SOME OF THE STRONGEST SPEEDS OF THE DAY WITH ISOLATED
GUSTS OVER 50 MPH FINALLY BEING REALIZED DURING THE PAST FEW
HOURS.

AVIATION...00Z KGRI TAF. VFR CIG/VSBY STILL FORECAST TO DOMINATE
THE VAST MAJORITY...IF NOT THE ENTIRE PERIOD...ALTHOUGH THERE ARE
SOME DEFINITE CONCERNS FOR THUNDERSTORMS MAINLY IN THE FIRST 5
HOURS. STARTING THE PERIOD...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
FINALLY STARTING TO BUILD ABOUT 90 MILES WEST OF KGRI...AND
ANTICIPATE A FAIRLY SOLID LINE OF STORMS TO EVENTUALLY PASS
THROUGH THE AREA LATER THIS EVENING. HAVE FINE TUNED TEMPO GROUP
SLIGHTLY TO FOCUS ON A 3 HOUR PERIOD FROM 02-05Z FOR THE MOST
LIKELY THUNDERSTORM TIME...AND IF STORMS DO IMPACT THE
TERMINAL...GUSTS TO AT LEAST 50KT AND HAIL TO AROUND QUARTER SIZE
ARE POSSIBLE. PRIOR TO THE ARRIVAL OF ANY STORMS...STRONG SOUTH
WINDS WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING WITH CONTINUED GUSTS TO AROUND
40KT. ONCE STORMS MOVE EAST AND COLD FRONT PASSES...LIGHTER
WESTERLY WINDS WILL PREVAIL ALONG WITH MAINLY CLEAR SKIES THROUGH
THE LAST 18 HOURS OF THE PERIOD. WESTERLY BREEZES WILL PICK UP
SLIGHTLY DURING THE DAY TUESDAY...WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 20KT
LIKELY.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 404 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011/

SHORT TERM...THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY. FOREMOST CONCERN IS THE RISK
OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. OTHERWISE...MAINLY
QUIET WEATHER CONDITIONS ANTICIPATED BEYOND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
THROUGH THE FOLLOWING 24-30 HOURS.

19Z OBJECTIVE SFC ANALYSIS PLACES 993MB LOW ACROSS EASTERN
COLORADO...WITH WELL DEFINED TROUGH AXIS/COLD FRONT EXTENDING
NORTHEAST ALONG A LINE JUST OUTSIDE THE WEST/NORTHWEST FRINGES OF
THE CWA. SURFACE TEMPS ARE WELL INTO THE UPPER 80S TO LOW 90S MOST
AREAS...WITH FORECAST HIGHS WORKING OUT FAIRLY WELL. ALOFT...LATEST
WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY AND SHORT TERM MODEL GUIDANCE
CLEARLY DEPICTS NEGATIVELY TILTED MID LEVEL SHORTWAVE CHARGING
ACROSS THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS TOWARD WESTERN NEB...WITH STRONG-
SEVERE CONVECTION ALREADY FIRING NORTHWEST OF THE CWA ACROSS THE
SANDHILLS.

BEFORE TALKING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...A QUICK COMMENT REGARDING
THE ONGOING HIGH WIND WARNING/ADVISORY. DESPITE BEING QUITE WINDY
TODAY WITH WIDESPREAD SUSTAINED SPEEDS 30-35 MPH AND GUSTS TO
AROUND 45 MPH...MOST OF THE AREA HAS REALLY STRUGGLED TO REACH
TRUE WARNING CRITERIA. HOWEVER...GIVEN THAT WE ARE JUST GETTING
INTO THE PEAK MIXING TIME OF THE DAY...SUSPECT THAT AT THE VERY
LEAST WE COULD GET CLOSE TO REACHING SOME SUSTAINED 40 MPH
OBS...ESPECIALLY IN NORTH CENTRAL KS. AS A RESULT...WILL LET
WARNING RIDE AS IS FOR GENERALLY THE SOUTHWEST HALF OF THE
CWA...ALTHOUGH IN REALITY THE SPEEDS ARE MORE IN LINE WITH A MID
TO HIGH END ADVISORY. OBVIOUSLY THE ADVISORY IS WORKING OUT GREAT
FOR NORTHEAST AREAS.

THE SHORT STORY REGARDING SEVERE POTENTIAL IS THAT THE MAIN WINDOW
OF OPPORTUNITY LOOKS TO FOCUS IN THE 5PM TO 11 PM TIME FRAME...AND
THE MAJORITY OF THE NEB CWA EXCEPT SOME OF THE EASTERN TWO ROWS IS
ALREADY IN A TOR WATCH VALID THROUGH 02Z...WITH THE EXPECTATION
THAT FUTURE WATCHES COULD BE NEEDED FARTHER SOUTH/SOUTHEAST AS
THINGS DEVELOP. OVERALL THINKING HASN/T CHANGED MUCH FROM PREVIOUS
SHIFTS...AND HAVE BASED DETAILS PRIMARILY ON THE THINKING OF SHORT
TERM MODELS SUCH AS THE RUC/HRRR. THESE MODELS...ALONG WITH
CURRENT SPC RUC ANALYSIS INDICATES STRONG CONVERGENCE ALONG THE
COLD FRONT TO THE NORTHWEST...AND NOT SURPRISING THAT INITIAL
SEVERE STORMS GOING UP HERE WITH MLCAPE 2000-3000 J/KG. VISIBLE SAT
AS OF 2030Z INDICATING AT LEAST MODEST CU DEVELOPMENT SOUTHWARD
ALONG THE DRYLINE EXTENDING FROM THE NORTH PLATTE AREA SOUTHWARD
INTO WEST CENTRAL KS. WITH STORM MOTION GENERALLY TO THE NORTHEAST
AT LEAST 45 MPH...INITIAL STORMS ARE NOT THREATENING TO MOVE
INTO CWA YET...AND COULD SEE CWA WAITING UNTIL AT LEAST 22Z IF NOT
AN HOUR OR TWO LATER TO SEE MUCH GOING ON. THE REAL QUESTION MARK
IS WHETHER AND HOW EXTENSIVELY CONVECTION WILL FIRE SOUTHWARD DOWN
THE DRYLINE ACROSS KS. WHILE 18Z RUC13 KEEPS THIS DEVELOPMENT TO
ALMOST NOTHING...18Z NAM AND HRRR ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE EITHER
BLOWING UP THE DRYLINE OR BUILDING CONVECTION DOWN THE COLD FRONT
INTO KS ZONES ESPECIALLY TOWARD SUNSET. A QUICK RUNDOWN OF
FAVORABLE SEVERE PARAMETERS THIS EVENING INCLUDE 0-6KM BULK SHEAR
40-50KT...0-1KM BULK SHEAR INCREASING TO AT LEAST 30-35KT AS THE
LOW LEVEL JET ACCELERATES THIS EVENING. THIS DEGREE OF LOW LEVEL
SHEAR IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO SUPPORT AT LEAST A FEW
TORNADOES...ALTHOUGH THE STRONG LINEAR FORCING BRINGS CONVECTIVE
MODE INTO QUESTION...WITH DISCRETE CELLS EXPECTED TO TREND TOWARD
LINEAR FAIRLY QUICKLY. ALSO ACTING AGAINST A HIGHER END TORNADO
THREAT ARE HIGH LCL HEIGHTS RANGING FROM 1500M IN THE NORTHEAST TO
OVER 2000M IN THE SOUTHWEST. WITH ENVIRONMENTAL WIND FIELDS AS
STRONG AS THEY ARE...ANTICIPATE DAMAGING WIND GUST POTENTIAL TO BE
RATHER HIGH...AND WENT WITH 80 MPH POTENTIAL IN THE HWO ALONG WITH
GOLF BALL HAIL.

AS THE COLD FRONT SWEEPS EASTWARD LATER THIS EVENING...CONVECTIVE
POTENTIAL WILL GO OFF TO THE EAST/SOUTH WITH IT...AND HRRR SHOWS
ALL BUT FAR SOUTHEAST CWA TO ALREADY BE CONVECTION FREE BY
MIDNIGHT...ALTHOUGH THE NAM SUGGESTS THIS COULD BE AN HOUR OR TWO
FAST.

IN SUMMARY...SEVERE WEATHER IS LIKELY ACROSS PARTS OF THE CWA
DURING THE NEXT 4-8 HOURS...ALTHOUGH THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF
QUESTIONS REGARDING THE DEGREE OF COVERAGE. MOST LIKELY ZONE FOR
SEVERE POTENTIAL STILL SEEMS TO BE NORTH OF INTERSTATE 80 IN LINE
WITH SPC MDT RISK...BUT IF THINGS START GOING ALONG THE DRYLINE AS
THEY OFTEN DO WHEN LOW LEVEL LAPSE RATES GET INTO THE 9-10C/KM
RANGE...IT COULD BE A FAIRLY WIDESPREAD SEVERE COVERAGE FOR A FEW
HOURS. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL DEFINITELY THE MAIN
THREAT...ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT NOT TAKE LONG TO SPIN UP A QUICK
TORNADO IF A STORM CAN REMAIN DISCRETE IN THIS STRONGLY SHEARED
ENVIRONMENT. NOT EXPECTING A MAJOR HYDRO SITUATION...WITH FAIRLY
PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF CONVECTION LIKELY LIMITING MOST AREAS TO 1
INCH OF RAIN OR LESS.

ON TUESDAY...DRY AND SEASONABLY MILD CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL IN
THE WAKE OF THE DEPARTING SHORTWAVE. AS MIXING PICKS UP A BIT IN
THE MORNING...WESTERLY BREEZES WILL PICK UP A BIT ESPECIALLY IN
NEB ZONES WITH SUSTAINED SPEEDS 15-20 MPH AND GUSTS TO AROUND 25
MPH OR SO. CERTAINLY NOT NEARLY AS WINDY AS TODAY THOUGH. FOR
HIGHS...NUDGED UP 1-2 DEGREES OVER PREV FCST MOST AREAS...AS FEEL
THAT WESTERLY COMPONENT AND PLENTY OF SUNSHINE SHOULD BOOST
TEMPERATURES SLIGHTLY ABOVE RAW NAM 2M TEMPS. THIS PUTS MOST AREAS
BETWEEN 77-83 DEGREES WITH WARMER SIDE IN KS ZONES.

TUESDAY NIGHT...KEPT THE 00Z-09Z PERIOD DRY...BUT SOMEWHAT
GRUDGINGLY INTRODUCED A SLIGHT POP ACROSS ROUGHLY SOUTHWEST 1/3 OF
CWA IN THE 09Z-12Z PERIOD...AS AT LEAST MODEST WARM AIR
ADVECTION/ISENTROPIC LIFT GETS GOING AS EVIDENCED IN THE H85-H7
LAYER. THE 18Z NAM HAS NO QPF...BUT THE 18Z GFS AT LEAST SKIRTS
FAR WESTERN ZONES SO WILL CARRY THIS SLIGHT POP FOR NOW WITH THE
IDEA THAT IT MIGHT BE OVERKILL. IF ANY PRE-SUNRISE STORMS DO
HAPPEN TO SNEAK IN...NOT EXPECTING SEVERE WEATHER ALTHOUGH HAIL UP
TO NICKEL SIZE CERTAINLY NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION. FOR LOW TEMPS
TUESDAY NIGHT STUCK CLOSE TO GUIDANCE BLEND...RANGING FROM AROUND
50 FAR NORTHWEST TO MID 50S SOUTHEAST.

LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THERE WILL BE A FEW SLIGHT
CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION IN WHAT GENERALLY WILL BE A HOT PERIOD.

LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL SEND MOIST/MUGGY AIR NORTHWARD INTO
OUR AREA ON WEDNESDAY MAKING FOR AN UNSTABLE AFTERNOON ENVIRONMENT.
THE CAP WILL BE WEAK AND JET LEVEL WINDS SHOULD STILL BE FAIRLY
STRONG OUT OF THE WEST...WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR MODEST WIND SHEAR.
HOWEVER...WEAK RIDGING ALOFT AT 500MB AND AN OVERALL LACK OF
FORCING/LIFTING MECHANISM WILL GREATLY LIMIT THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT. THEREFORE...WILL ONLY BE GOING WITH SLIGHT POPS ON
WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

THURSDAY WILL BE A HOT AND DRY DAY...BUT THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM
IN WESTERN NEBRASKA MIGHT SLIP AS FAR SOUTHEAST AS OUR WESTERN ZONES
LATE THURSDAY NIGHT. THIS ALSO APPEARS TO BE A RATHER SLIM CHANCE
AND WILL JUST BE GOING WITH SLIGHT POPS PRIMARILY NORTHWEST OF THE
TRI CITIES.

A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL PUSH THROUGH OUR FORECAST AREA ON FRIDAY
WHICH SHOULD COOL NORTHWEST ZONES BACK DOWN INTO THE 80S AND RESULT
IN A SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE BOUNDARY BY LATE
AFTERNOON INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. THE BOUNDARY SHOULD BE LOCATED
OVER NORTHERN KANSAS OR NEAR THE NEBRASKA/KANSAS BORDER BY THAT TIME.

SATURDAY THROUGH NEXT MONDAY SHOULD BE HOT AND GENERALLY DRY WITH
WEAK UPPER LEVEL RIDGING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS.
HIGH TEMPERATURES NEXT WEEKEND WILL RANGE FROM THE MID 80S TO LOWER
90S.

&&

.GID WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NE...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NEZ039>041-
     046>049-062>064-076-077-086-087.

     HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR NEZ060-061-
     072>075-082>085.

KS...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ005>007-
     017>019.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 30, 1:34 PM CST, 6 hours 24 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
234 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

KSZ005>007-017>019-NEZ039>041-046>049-060>064-072>077-082>087-
311200-
PHILLIPS-SMITH-JEWELL-ROOKS-OSBORNE-MITCHELL-VALLEY-GREELEY-NANCE-
SHERMAN-HOWARD-MERRICK-POLK-DAWSON-BUFFALO-HALL-HAMILTON-YORK-
GOSPER-PHELPS-KEARNEY-ADAMS-CLAY-FILLMORE-FURNAS-HARLAN-FRANKLIN-
WEBSTER-NUCKOLLS-THAYER-
234 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA AND
PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS LIKELY ACROSS MUCH OF THE
OUTLOOK AREA THROUGH THE MID EVENING HOURS. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF
GOLF BALLS...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS TO 80 MPH AND ISOLATED
TORNADOES WILL ALL BE POSSIBLE...WITH THE GREATEST THREAT FOR A
FEW TORNADOES FOCUSED NEAR AND WEST OF HIGHWAY 281 IN SOUTH
CENTRAL NEBRASKA. THE INITIAL STORM DEVELOPMENT WILL FOCUS ACROSS
WESTERN PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA...WITH MANY AREAS EAST OF
HIGHWAY 281 UNLIKELY TO SEE MUCH ACTIVITY UNTIL AFTER 7 PM.

IN ADDITION TO THE THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS...A HIGH WIND WARNING
REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH MID EVENING FOR AREAS MAINLY WEST OF
HIGHWAY 281 AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 80. A WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN
EFFECT THROUGH MID EVENING FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE OUTLOOK AREA.
PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST HIGH WIND WARNING AND WIND ADVISORY
PRODUCTS FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

FINALLY...THE PLATTE RIVER NEAR KEARNEY NEBRASKA REMAINS NEAR
FLOOD STAGE. AS A RESULT...A FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT.
PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

THERE WILL BE PERIODIC CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM LATE TUESDAY
NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA.
FOR THE MOST PART THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE RATHER ISOLATED. A
FEW OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT MAY BECOME
STRONG TO SEVERE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

STORM SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY AT SOME POINT LATE THIS
AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING ACROSS MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA.

&&

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB PAGE:
   HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/HASTINGS  (ALL LOWERCASE)

PFANNKUCH

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 30, 7:25 PM CST, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
825 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0823 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ORD AIRPORT             41.62N 98.95W
05/30/2011                   VALLEY             NE   EMERGENCY MNGR

            REPORTS OF BUILDINGS DESTROYED AT AIRPORT FROM VALLEY
            EMERGENCY MANAGER

&&

GUERRERO

Local storm report, May 30, 7:42 PM CST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
842 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0834 PM     TORNADO          RIVERDALE               40.78N 99.16W
05/30/2011                   BUFFALO            NE   NWS EMPLOYEE

            LARGE GUSTNADO ON LEADING EDGE OF STORMS. REPORTED 90 MPH
            GUSTS WITH POWER FLASHES.

&&

PFANNKUCH

Local storm report, May 30, 7:43 PM CST, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
843 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0740 PM     TSTM WND DMG     8 S ELWOOD              40.47N 99.86W
05/30/2011                   GOSPER             NE   CO-OP OBSERVER

            SEVERAL CATTLE SHEDS BLEW AWAY

&&

GUERRERO

Local storm report, May 30, 7:51 PM CST, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
851 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0846 PM     HAIL             6 S LOUP CITY           41.19N 98.97W
05/30/2011  M0.88 INCH       SHERMAN            NE   TRAINED SPOTTER

0846 PM     TSTM WND GST     6 S LOUP CITY           41.19N 98.97W
05/30/2011  E70 MPH          SHERMAN            NE   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

JCB

Local storm report, May 30, 7:52 PM CST, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
852 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0851 PM     NON-TSTM WND GST RAVENNA                 41.03N 98.91W
05/30/2011  E70 MPH          BUFFALO            NE   PUBLIC

&&

JCB

Local storm report, May 30, 7:53 PM CST, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HASTINGS NE
853 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0847 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 N AMHERST             40.91N 99.27W
05/30/2011                   BUFFALO            NE   STORM CHASER

            CHASER REPORTS LARGE GUSTNADO POSSIBLY 1/2 MILE WIDE WITH
            TIPPED OVER IRRIGATION SYSTEMS.

&&

PFANNKUCH

The radar

The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Phillips

When: May 30, 7:58 PM CST
Where: Phillips County, Phillipsburg Arpt
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 39.730, -99.320

Hail, Osborne

When: May 30, 8:44 PM CST
Where: Osborne County, Alton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.470, -98.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Smith

When: May 30, 8:53 PM CST
Where: Smith County, Smith Center Arpt
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by: AWOS
Coordinates: 39.750, -98.780

Hail, Jewell

When: May 30, 9:09 PM CST
Where: Jewell County, 6 mi N of Esbon
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.907, -98.430

Thunderstorm Wind, Jewell

When: May 30, 9:10 PM CST
Where: Jewell County, Burr Oak
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 39.870, -98.300

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jewell

When: May 30, 9:37 PM CST
Where: Jewell County, 2 mi ENE of Webber
Measured: 63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 39.941, -97.995

Wind gust was measured from a home weather station.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mitchell

When: May 30, 9:49 PM CST
Where: Mitchell County, Tipton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 39.330, -98.480

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 MPH.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kansas in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, May 2011

Sources

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: 316974, 316972, 316971, 316970, 316968, 316967, 316966.