A vigorous upper level system combined with copious moisture and an advancing warm front to produce widespread thunderstorms, some producing tornadoes.
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.
A vigorous upper level system combined with copious moisture and an advancing warm front to produce widespread thunderstorms, some producing tornadoes.
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 Apr 14, 5:50 AM CST, 4 hours 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 650 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 ...UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 200 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 SHORT RANGE MODELS INDICATE THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH LIFTING NORTHEAST ACROSS THE DESERT SOUTHWEST INTO THE FOUR CORNERS REGION TODAY BRINGING THE CHANCE FOR WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE CENTRAL PLAINS THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT, INCLUDING PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN KANSAS. AS THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH APPROACHES, THE LEE SIDE TROUGH WILL DEVELOP INTO A SURFACE LOW THIS MORNING AND BEGIN LIFTING NORTHEAST INTO SOUTHWEST NEBRASKA BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON. AS A RESULT, THE RETREATING DRYLINE WILL STALL OUT GENERALLY IN THE VICINITY OF THE COLORADO BORDER AND ONCE AGAIN BEGIN ADVANCING EAST ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ADDITIONALLY, THE AFOREMENTIONED +100KT UPPER LEVEL JET IS PROGGED TO NOSE JUST INTO WESTERN KANSAS SOMETIME LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. THIS WILL SET THE STAGE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE DRYLINE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING, GENERALLY ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE, PARTICULARLY WITH NAM AND GFS SOUNDINGS SHOWING PLENTY OF INSTABILITY PRESENT WITH STEEP LOW TO MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES COMBINED WITH CAPE VALUES IN EXCESS OF 2000 J/KG BY MID AFTERNOON. TORNADOES COULD ALSO BE A THREAT WITH FAVORABLE SPEED AND DIRECTIONAL SHEAR PROFILES, INCLUDING CLOCKWISE ROUNDED HODOGRAPHS ON ALL MODEL SOUNDINGS. WILL KEEP POPS IN ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS WITH THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS EAST OF A HAYS TO DODGE CITY LINE. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO BE NEAR IF NOT JUST SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL TODAY AS SURFACE LOW PRESSURE STRENGTHENS ACROSS NORTHEASTERN COLORADO. THIS WILL ENHANCE WARM AIR ADVECTION WITHIN A SOUTHWESTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW INTO WESTERN KANSAS, RAISING H85 TEMPERATURES INTO THE MID TO UPPER TEENS(C). ALTHOUGH, LOW LEVEL STRATUS ACROSS CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF WESTERN KANSAS EARLY THIS MORNING COULD HINDER HIGH TEMPERATURES SOMEWHAT BY THIS AFTERNOON AS IT SCATTERS OUT WEST TO EAST. TAKING THAT INTO ACCOUNT, LOOK FOR HIGHS MAINLY UP INTO THE 70S(F) BY THIS AFTERNOON WITH A FEW LOW 80S(F) STILL POSSIBLE. FOR TONIGHT, AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL BEGIN PUSHING INTO WESTERN KANSAS BY DAYBREAK SUNDAY MORNING HELPING TO DROP TEMPERATURES A BIT FROM THIS MORNING'S LOWS. LOOK FOR LOWS MAINLY DOWN INTO THE 40S(F) ACROSS SOUTHWEST KANSAS. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 402 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 THE BEGINNING OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL SEE AN UPPER LOW LIFTING OUT OF THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST. FARTHER SOUTH THE AXIS OF THE H5 TROUGH WILL BE MOVING EAST OVER THE HIGH PLAINS. AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING INTO FAR WESTERN KANSAS BY SUNRISE AND SHOULD BE MOVING EAST OUT OF SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS BY MIDDAY OR EARLY AFTERNOON. THE ECMWF IS A LITTLE SLOWER THAN THE GFS WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. GIVEN THE PROGRESSIVE NATURE OF THIS SYSTEM BY THEN THINK THAT THE GFS LOOKS MORE REASONABLE. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW THE BETTER MID LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINING OVER FAR WESTERN KANSAS. WILL KEEP SLIGHT CHANCE POPS NORTHWEST OF A HUGOTON/DODGE CITY/HAYS LINE. ON SUNDAY NIGHT THE MAIN TROUGH AXIS MOVES TOWARD THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY WHILE ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TROUGH DIVES INTO THE COLORADO FRONT RANGE REGION. SURFACE WINDS DIMINISH OVERNIGHT AS THE SURFACE RIDGE BUILDS INTO WESTERN KANSAS. THE MODELS SHOW SURFACE DEWPOINTS FALLING TO AROUND 30-35 DEG F BY 12Z MONDAY. GIVEN THE LIGHT WINDS AND DECOUPLING...OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES COULD AT LEAST FALL INTO THE MID 30S AND POSSIBLY LOWER OVER FAR WESTERN KANSAS. THE NEXT SHORTWAVE CONTINUES TO MOVE OUT OVER WESTERN KANSAS ON MONDAY. MODEL SOUNDINGS SHOW SOME WEAK INSTABILITY AND THE MODELS ARE PRODUCING SOME QPF. WE COULD SEE SOME THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OFF THE COLORADO FRONT RANGE AND MAKE IT INTO FAR WESTERN WESTERN KANSAS BY LATER IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE MODELS SHOW ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING OUT OVER THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL CONUS LATE THURSDAY AND THURSDAY NIGHT. WILL MAINTAIN SOME SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR SOUTHWEST KANSAS MAINLY THURSDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 650 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 BROKEN TO OVERCAST MVFR TO IFR CEILINGS WILL HOLD ON ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST KANSAS BEFORE SCATTERING OUT AROUND 16Z TO 17Z. STRENGTHENING LOW PRESSURE OVER EASTERN COLORADO WILL CAUSE A TIGHTENING SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS TODAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN SUSTAINED SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS INCREASING TO 25 TO 30 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 40 KNOTS. THE WINDS SHOULD SUBSIDE SOMEWHAT AFTER DARK AND SWITCH AROUND MORE TO THE WEST. A DRYLINE WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS TODAY. THIS WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS AFTER ABOUT 20Z. THE STORMS COULD BE JUST TO THE EAST OF DODGE CITY AND HAYS BUT WILL LEAVE OUT OF THE TAFS FOR THOSE SITES FOR NOW. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DDC 80 45 63 38 / 20 10 10 10 GCK 78 42 59 36 / 10 10 20 10 EHA 75 42 59 37 / 10 10 20 10 LBL 80 45 61 37 / 10 10 20 10 HYS 80 45 64 39 / 20 20 20 10 P28 80 50 69 40 / 30 40 10 10 && .DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/ THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 AM CDT /MIDNIGHT MDT/ SUNDAY FOR KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081- 084>090. RED FLAG WARNING FROM 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/ THIS AFTERNOON TO 9 PM CDT /8 PM MDT/ THIS EVENING FOR KSZ043-061>063-074>076-086. && SHORT TERM...JJOHNSON LONG TERM...GERARD AVIATION...GERARD
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 837 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-151230- 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- 837 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 /737 AM MDT SAT APR 14 2012/ ...A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AHEAD OF A DRYLINE THAT IS EXPECTED TO ADVANCE EASTWARD ACROSS WESTERN KANSAS DURING THE DAY. ALTHOUGH MOST STORMS WILL PRODUCE HAIL QUARTER TO GOLF BALL SIZE IN DIAMETER...A FEW STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO BASEBALL SIZE DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING HOURS. IN ADDITION...DAMAGING WINDS UP TO 70 MPH AND A TORNADO OR TWO CANNOT BE RULED OUT ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WINDY CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY WITH SUSTAINED WINDS IN EXCESS OF 30 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON. WINDY CONDITIONS ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING HOURS BEFORE TAPERING OFF OVERNIGHT. A RED FLAG WARNING HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. THIS AREA IS GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM SCOTT CITY TO LIBERAL. SEE THE LATEST FIRE WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED AFTER 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON AND LASTING INTO EARLY EVENING OVER CENTRAL KANSAS...ESPECIALLY EAST OF A HAYS TO COLDWATER LINE. EMERGENCY MANAGERS...LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SPOTTER GROUPS SHOULD MAKE PREPARATIONS NOW FOR QUICK DEPLOYMENT THIS AFTERNOON. && FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/DDC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
1023 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012
KSZ044-045-063-064-141600-
FINNEY-HODGEMAN-LANE-NESS-
1023 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN LANE...NORTHEASTERN
FINNEY...NORTHWESTERN HODGEMAN AND WESTERN NESS COUNTIES...
AT 1017 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF KALVESTA...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 50 MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3863 10000 3850 9986 3807 10044 3818 10062
3870 10030 3870 10024
TIME...MOT...LOC 1522Z 219DEG 42KT 3818 10049
FINCHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 1025 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 KSZ030-031-045-046-141615- ELLIS-NESS-RUSH-TREGO- 1025 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN NESS...NORTHWESTERN RUSH...SOUTHEASTERN TREGO AND SOUTHWESTERN ELLIS COUNTIES... AT 1022 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BAZINE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH. PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LAT...LON 3883 9973 3879 9935 3840 9968 3847 9984 TIME...MOT...LOC 1525Z 213DEG 50KT 3848 9971 FINCH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
1043 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012
KSZ063-076-077-141630-
FINNEY-GRAY-HASKELL-
1043 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL FINNEY...NORTHERN HASKELL
AND NORTHWESTERN GRAY COUNTIES...
AT 1042 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR PLYMELL...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3822 10083 3821 10047 3794 10043 3767 10083
3775 10099
TIME...MOT...LOC 1544Z 212DEG 48KT 3780 10083
FINCHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS 1053 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 KSZ064-065-078-079-141630- EDWARDS-FORD-HODGEMAN-PAWNEE- 1053 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN HODGEMAN...NORTHEASTERN FORD...NORTHWESTERN EDWARDS AND WESTERN PAWNEE COUNTIES... AT 1052 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR SPEARVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. RESIDENTS IN EASTERN HODGEMAN...NORTHEASTERN FORD...NORTHWESTERN EDWARDS AND WESTERN PAWNEE COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF HANSTON AND GRAY...SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. LAT...LON 3824 9980 3813 9932 3773 9976 3780 9997 TIME...MOT...LOC 1553Z 205DEG 47KT 3792 9979 AWJ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
1053 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012
KSZ031-046-141645-
ELLIS-RUSH-
1053 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN RUSH AND
SOUTHEASTERN ELLIS COUNTIES...
AT 1052 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES EAST OF LORETTA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50
MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3891 9903 3870 9904 3869 9902 3863 9902
3860 9905 3869 9918 3893 9906
TIME...MOT...LOC 1553Z 211DEG 43KT 3866 9906
FINCHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
1108 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012
KSZ030-141700-
TREGO-
1108 AM CDT SAT APR 14 2012
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL TREGO COUNTY...
AT 1106 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TREGO CENTER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS AROUND 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LAT...LON 3913 9969 3907 9979 3883 9988 3893 10008
3914 9999 3914 9970
TIME...MOT...LOC 1608Z 208DEG 41KT 3894 9992
FINCHThe Dodge City radar (KDDC), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:29 UTC.
25 hail, 21 tornado, 1 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Water was 1 to 2 feet over highway 183 on the south side of LaCrosse.
A tornado tracked across a farm and damaged an outbuilding and did roof damage to the home.
A tornado damaged a pivot sprinkler, trees and a few out buildings.
A 60 X 120 foot metal barn was destroyed and cattle sheds were blown down. Also power lines were down in the vicinity.
This tornado developed just north of Dodge City and moved into Hodgeman county at 210 PM CDT. In Ford county it did minor damage to trees and a barn.
This tornado moved into the county from Ford county at 1410 CDT and moved northeast before turning north and then northwest as it dissipated. Damage was done to trees, a few outbuildings and a pivot irrigation sprinkler.
A tornado took out some trees but there were no structures involved.
Damage was done to trees and an outbuilding. The tornado moved into Rush county at 3:30 PM CDT.
This tornado did damage to trees and power lines along it's path.
The tornado moved in from Pawnee county at 3:30 PM CDT and did damage to trees.
This tornado damaged trees, power lines and a barn. It moved into Barber county at 16:12 PM CDT.
This was a brief and small tornado.
This tornado moved into the county from Comanche county at 16:12 PM CDT.
This tornado did EF1 damage to trees and power poles.
This tornado damaged power poles and a few trees.
A weak tornado moved northeast across US Highway 281 but it did not hit anything to damage.
This tornado did not hit anything to damage.
The hail covered the ground.
Windows were knocked out by the hail.
This strong tornado developed west of Greensburg and became intense by the time it crossed into Edwards county at 842 PM CDT. In Kiowa county it did EF3 damage. Damage was done to outbuildings, trees, power lines, farm machinery and pivot irrigation sprinklers. The ground was scoured in a field near the Edwards/Kiowa county line.
Hail ranged from golf ball to tennis ball size.
This was a satellite tornado to the southeast and east of the larger tornado. This satellite tornado damaged trees and a mobile home.
This EF3 tornado moved out of Kiowa county at 842 PM CDT and did considerable damage to a house, trees, power poles, pivot irrigation sprinkler and outbuildings and machinery. There was also considerable ground scouring in one wheat field. This tornado moved into Stafford county at 901 PM CDT and then shifted a little east towards the end of its existence and passed just south of Macksville. As the tornado was dissipating, a new and powerful tornado developed just to the southeast of Macksville.
This tornado moved out of Edwards county at 901 PM CDT and as it did it began to shift a little east passing just east of Macksville. In Stafford county there was considerable damage to pivot sprinklers, trees and outbuildings.
This monster tornado developed just southeast of a dissipating tornado near Macksville and then moved in a northeasterly direction. However during it's life cycle, it turned north briefly, then east briefly and then finally it moved on a steady northeast path. It narrowly missed Hudson to the south but did move across the Quivira National Refuge before moving into Rice county at 9:45 PM CDT. Damage was done to a few farm houses, outbuildings and equipment, trees, power poles and pivot irrigation systems.
This was a satellite tornado southeast and east of the monster tornado that moved through Stafford county. This one did damage to trees and power poles.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kansas, 2012Warnings in Kansas, April 2012
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: 380223, 380475, 380224, 380225, 380476, 380226, 380249, 380227, 380228, 380229, 380667, 380673, 380477, 380230, 380231, 380719, 380676, 380720, 380686, 380480, 380687, 380232, 380717, 380233, 380718, 380234, 380478, 380479, 380235, 380236, 380237, 380238, 380239, 380240, 380241, 380242, 380243, 380244, 380245, 380694, and more.