Kansas, 2012

High Wind in Kansas, November 10, 2012

November 10, 2012 · NWS DDC · 7 events in 6 counties and zones

An upper jet moving through the southern Rockies helped to create strong surface pressure falls across northeast Colorado. The strength of the surface pressure falls, the resultant gradient and depth of superadiabatic mixed layer produced strong southwest surface winds.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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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 DDC wrote it up.

An upper jet moving through the southern Rockies helped to create strong surface pressure falls across northeast Colorado. The strength of the surface pressure falls, the resultant gradient and depth of superadiabatic mixed layer produced strong southwest surface winds.

Deep shear became impressive and with a moistening airmass thunderstorms quickly developed and became briefly supercellular before creating a broken line segments into central Kansas.

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 Dodge City, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Nov 10, 6:07 AM CST, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 10, 6:07 AM CST, 3 hours 23 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
607 AM CST SAT NOV 10 2012

...UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION...

.SYNOPSIS...
ISSUED AT 408 AM CST SAT NOV 10 2012

A STRONGLY AMPLIFIED PATTERN IS EVOLVING ACROSS THE WESTERN STATES.
THE 00 UTC SUBJECTIVE ANALYSIS INDICATED THE STRONGLY AMPLIFIED
WESTERN TROUGH FROM EASTERN WASHINGTON INTO HE GREAT BASIN. A STRONG
DIFLUENT PATTERN WAS FOUND JUST UPSTREAM OVER THE ROCKIES, WITH A
100 KNOT JET ROUNDING THE BASE FROM THE DESERT SOUTHWEST INTO THE
COLORADO PLATEAU. A COOL AND CLOUDY AIRMASS CHARACTERIZED BY LOW
SINGLE DIGIT 850MB LEVEL TEMPERATURES AND SMALL DEW POINT DEPRESSION
WAS  IN PLACE ACROSS THE NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS REGION. THE REGION WAS
EXPERIENCING EXPANDING FOG AND LOW (SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET BASED)
STRATUS OVER WESTERN NEBRASKA AND EXTREME NORTHWEST KANSAS AFTER
MIDNIGHT. A DRIER AND MUCH WARMER AIRMASS WAS FOUND IMMEDIATELY TO
THE SOUTH, WHERE A 30 TO 40 KNOT JET WAS OBSERVED BY REGIONAL
RADIOSONDE OBS, AND TEMPERATURES AT 850 MB OF AROUND 20 DEGREES C
FROM DODGE CITY TO LUBBOCK.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TONIGHT)
ISSUED AT 408 AM CST SAT NOV 10 2012

WEAK WARM ADVECTION IS OCCURRING IN THE NEAR SURFACE LAYER,
EVIDENCED BY RECENT SURFACE WIND ADJUSTMENTS TO SOUTHERLY. THE NEXT
SEVERAL HOURS SHOULD BEING NEAR STEADY TO ONLY SLOWLY FALLING SURFACE
TEMPERATURES, SIMILAR TO THE MILD RAPID REFRESH SOLUTION.

THE AFOREMENTIONED UPPER JET MOVING THROUGH THE SOUTHERN  ROCKIES
THIS MORNING WILL LEND ITSELF TO HELPING CREATE STRONG SURFACE
PRESSURE FALLS ACROSS NORTHEAST COLORADO THIS MORNING. THIS TREND
HAS ALREADY BEGUN AS OF 4 A.M. THE STRENGTH OF THESE SURFACE PRESSURE
FALLS, THE RESULTANT GRADIENT AND DEPTH OF SUPER ADIABATIC MIXED
LAYER SHOULD ALL PLAY ROLE IN HOW STRONG SOUTHWEST SURFACE WINDS
BECOME LATER TODAY. GIVEN IT IS A DYNAMIC SYSTEM, WITH INCREASING
WINDS ALOFT, ALONE SUGGESTS STRONGER THAN TYPICAL WINDS FOR SOUTHWEST
KANSAS. HOWEVER THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF SPREAD IN MODEL AND MOS
SOLUTIONS. THE GFS MOS WOULD SUGGEST A WIDESPREAD HIGH WIND EVENT,
WHICH THE RAW MODELS THEMSELVES (NAM/GFS/ECMWF) DON'T COME CLOSE
TO. THE NAM MOS INDICATES SUSTAINED WIND SPEEDS NEAR 35 KNOT HIGH
WIND CRITERIA, BUT NOT EQUAL OR EXCEEDING. MODEL FORECAST
SOUNDINGS SHOW VERY STRONG MEAN LAYER WINDS AROUND 50 KNOTS, BUT
AS THE LAYER MIXES IN THE LATER MORNING, MOMENTUM TRANSFER
ESTIMATIONS SUGGEST GUSTS TO NEAR 45 KNOTS AT MOST. FOR THESE
REASONS, WE ARE REASONABLY COMFORTABLE MAINTAINING THE WIND
ADVISORY FOR TODAY, AND FORECASTING HIGH END WIND ADVISORY
CRITERIA.

SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL KANSAS WILL BECOME INFLUENCED BY TWO SEPARATE
AIRMASS THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ALONG
CONVERGENCE ZONE THROUGH THE WARM AIR ADVECTION REGION OF SOUTH
CENTRAL KANSAS, EXTENDING NORTHWARD THE NORTHER CENTRAL KANSAS AND
NEBRASKA. SINGLE DIGIT 700 MB TEMPERATURES ALOFT AND A WARM,
RELATIVELY MOIST SURFACE SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT TO VERIFY THE WEAK TO
MARGINALLY MODERATE MODEL CAPE FORECAST. DEEP SHEAR SHOULD BE
IMPRESSIVE AND STORMS SHOULD QUICKLY ROTATE BECOMING BRIEFLY
SUPER CELLULAR BEFORE CREATING A BROKEN LINE SEGMENTS INTO CENTRAL
KANSAS. EACH OF THE NAM/WRF ARW AND NMM MODEL CORES DEVELOPS A
SIMILAR SOLUTION. SMALL HAIL AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
ARE THE MORE LIKELY THREATS.

MUCH COLDER NORTHERN HIGH PLAINS AIR WILL PLUNGE SOUTHWARD ACROSS
WESTERN KANSAS BEHIND A WEDGE OF DRY AIR DESCENDING OFF THE HIGHER
TERRAIN THIS EVENING. LOWS WILL LIKELY FALL TO AROUND FREEZING OR EVEN
COLDER BY SUNDAY MORNING.

.LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)
ISSUED AT 408 AM CST SAT NOV 10 2012

A COLD FRONT WILL HAVE PUSHED THROUGH ALL OF SOUTHWEST AND SOUTH
CENTRAL KANSAS BY THE BEGINNING OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD ON SUNDAY
MORNING. AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL BE MOVING OUT OVER THE HIGH
PLAINS DURING THE DAY SUNDAY. THE SIGNIFICANT MOISTURE WITH THIS
SYSTEM WILL BE WELL INTO EASTERN KANSAS AND MISSOURI DURING THE DAY.
THERE COULD BE ENOUGH LIMITED MOISTURE IN THE BASE OF THE TROUGH TO
PRODUCE SOME VIRGA SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A FEW FLURRIES BUT THE
CHANCE FOR ANY MEASURABLE PRECIPITATION LOOKS NEGLIGIBLE. SURFACE
HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE MOVING THROUGH WESTERN KANSAS LATE SUNDAY WITH
WINDS DECREASING AND BECOME WESTERLY SUNDAY NIGHT. WITH CLEARING
SKIES AND A COOL AIRMASS IN PLACE, TEMPERATURES SHOULD DROP INTO THE
UPPER TEENS AND LOWER 20S IN SPITE OF WEAK WESTERLY DOWNSLOPE WINDS.

THE UPPER LEVEL FLOW WILL BECOME ZONAL THROUGH NEXT WEEK. THERE WILL
BE A FEW MINOR DISTURBANCES IN THE FLOW BUT AM NOT EXPECTING MUCH
MORE THAN SOME SCATTERED HIGH CLOUDINESS FROM THEM.  LATE IN THE
WEEK THE MEDIUM RANGE MODELS MOVE AN UPPER TROUGH ONSHORE OVER THE
WESTERN STATES. THE MODELS ARE TRENDING TOWARD WEAKENING THIS WAVE
AS IT MOVES EAST OVER THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS THURSDAY NIGHT AND
FRIDAY. THERE WILL BE A FAIR AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER OVER THE CENTRAL
PLAINS AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY, ALONG WITH A
SLIGHT CHANCE FOR RAIN SHOWERS. AFTER COLLABORATING WITH SURROUNDING
OFFICES, HAVE INCREASED CLOUD COVER AND RAISED OVERNIGHT LOWS
SOMEWHAT FOR THE THURSDAY NIGHT TIME PERIOD.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SUNDAY MORNING)
ISSUED AT 606 AM CST SAT NOV 10 2012

STRONG SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHWEST INTO
CENTRAL KANSAS TODAY. LOOK FOR SUSTAINED WINDS TO INCREASE TO 25
TO 35 KNOTS WITH GUSTS TO 45-50 KNOTS POSSIBLE. THE STRONGEST
WINDS WILL BE AROUND GARDEN CITY. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE
FROM HAYS TO DODGE CITY AND ASHLAND. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTH
THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT, SWITCHING THE WINDS AROUND TO THE NORTH.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DDC  80  31  43  21 /  30  10   0   0
GCK  78  28  40  19 /  10  10   0   0
EHA  75  28  41  21 /  10  10  10  10
LBL  79  30  42  20 /  20  10  10  10
HYS  78  30  41  19 /  40  10   0   0
P28  78  40  48  23 /  60  40   0  10

&&

.DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WIND ADVISORY FROM 11 AM CST /10 AM MST/ THIS MORNING TO 7 PM
CST /6 PM MST/ THIS EVENING FOR KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-
074>081-084>090.

&&

SYNOPSIS...RUSSELL
SHORT TERM...RUSSELL
LONG TERM...GERARD
AVIATION...GERARD
Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 10, 7:05 AM CST, 2 hours 25 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
705 AM CST SAT NOV 10 2012

KSZ030-043>045-061>064-074>077-084>086-111315-
TREGO-SCOTT-LANE-NESS-HAMILTON-KEARNY-FINNEY-HODGEMAN-STANTON-
GRANT-HASKELL-GRAY-MORTON-STEVENS-SEWARD-
705 AM CST SAT NOV 10 2012 /605 AM MST SAT NOV 10 2012/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST AND
WEST CENTRAL KANSAS...WEST OF A HAYS TO DODGE CITY AND MEADE LINE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON. DUE TO LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY, OUTDOOR BURNING IS DISCOURAGED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT.

&&

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/DDC

KSZ031-046-065-066-078>081-087>090-111315-
ELLIS-RUSH-PAWNEE-STAFFORD-FORD-EDWARDS-KIOWA-PRATT-MEADE-CLARK-
COMANCHE-BARBER-
705 AM CST SAT NOV 10 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...SOUTH
CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST KANSAS...EAST OF A HAYS TO DODGE CITY AND MEADE
LINE.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON. DUE TO LOW RELATIVE
HUMIDITY, OUTDOOR BURNING IS DISCOURAGED.

THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DIME SIZE HAIL, 60 MPH WIND
GUSTS AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE BETWEEN 3 PM AND
7 PM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED BETWEEN 3 AND 7 PM.

&&

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/DDC

RUSSELL

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Hamilton

When
November 10, 9:30 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Hamilton forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
37.999, -101.791 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust to 58 MPH was recorded at the Syracuse airport at 1045 AM.

High Wind, Hamilton

When
November 10, 9:30 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Hamilton forecast zone
Measured
55 kt (63 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
37.999, -101.791 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust to 63 MPH was recorded at the Syracuse airport at 1115 AM.

High Wind, Kearny

When
November 10, 9:30 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Kearny forecast zone
Measured
62 kt (71 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
38.000, -101.320 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust to 71 MPH was recorded at a location near Kendall at 1208 PM.

High Wind, Grant

When
November 10, 9:30 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
37.562, -101.308 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust to 62 MPH was recorded at the Ulysses airport at 110 PM.

High Wind, Scott

When
November 10, 9:30 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Scott forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
AWOS
Coordinates
38.482, -100.907 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust to 58 MPH was recorded at the Scott City airport at 140 PM.

High Wind, Finney

When
November 10, 9:30 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Finney forecast zone
Measured
50 kt (58 mph) measured gust
Reported by
ASOS
Coordinates
38.044, -100.737 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust to 58 MPH was recorded at the Garden City airport at 136 PM.

High Wind, Haskell

When
November 10, 9:30 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
Where
Haskell forecast zone
Measured
54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
37.562, -100.871 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust to 62 MPH was recorded at the Kansas Water office located at 37.437N and 100.97W at 115 PM.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Kansas in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, November 2012

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: 422722, 422723, 422726, 422728, 422730, 422732, 422733.