From the afternoon until late in the evening of the 22nd, severe thunderstorms struck South-Central & Southeast Kansas. The severe thunderstorms were prolific wind producers.
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 ICT wrote it up.
From the afternoon until late in the evening of the 22nd, severe thunderstorms struck South-Central & Southeast Kansas. The severe thunderstorms were prolific wind producers. The most violent thunderstorms roared through South-Central Kansas, more specifically Kingman and Sumner Counties, with vicious winds that not only caused widespread tree, power line and power pole damage, but tore the roofs off a high school and elementary school in Argonia, located in extreme West-Central Sumner County.
Late that evening, another severe thunderstorm hit Russell County with hail as large as ping-pong balls.
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 Jul 22, 2:21 PM CST, 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 321 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 .SYNOPSIS... ISSUED AT 321 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 CURRENTLY HAVE NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT EXTENDING FROM THE NORTHERN ROCKIES INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THERE ARE COUPLE OF SHORTWAVES EMBEDDED IN THE FLOW...ONE OVER THE WESTERN OHIO VALLEY AND ANOTHER APPROACHING THE NORTHERN ROCKIES. AT THE SURFACE...A COLD FRONT EXTENDS FROM FAR NW KS...ACROSS NORTHERN KS AND INTO SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA. THIS FRONT WAS CONTINUING TO SLOWLY TRACK SOUTH AND WAS BEING AIDED BY THE CONVECTION OVER NORTH CENTRAL KS. IN ADDITION TO THIS FRONT...THERE IS AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY EXTENDING FROM WEST OF MEDICINE LODGE TO JUST SOUTH OF PONCA CITY. THE MORNING CONVECTION LOOKED TO DEVELOP DUE TO ISENTROPIC LIFT AND MOISTURE TRANSPORT ALONG THE 315K SURFACE IN AN UNCAPPED AIRMASS ABOVE 850MB. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ALSO SHOWED THAT THIS ACTIVITY GOT GOING ONCE REMNANT ENERGY FROM DISSIPATING STORMS OVER NORTHERN NEBRASKA MOVED OVER THE AREA. A REGIONAL LOOP OF 88DS EVEN SHOWS WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN MCV TRACKING ALONG THE TOP/ICT CWA BORDER && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 321 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 VERY DIFFICULT STORM FORECAST THIS EVENING AS THERE IS A COUPLE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS TO GET CONVECTION. WILL FIRST BE WATCHING THE SYNOPTIC COLD FRONT TO THE NORTH. IT APPEARS THERE IS NOW SOME CONVECTION DEVELOP ALONG IT OVER NORTHEAST KS WHERE IT IS UNCAPPED. SOME ADDITIONAL DEVELOP WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER NW/NORTH CENTRAL KS WITH ADDITIONAL HEATING. THERE WILL ALSO BE A CHANCE FOR STORMS TO DEVELOP OVER THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY TO OUR SOUTH AND SW. HOWEVER ANYTHING THAT DEVELOPS ALONG IT WILL TRACK TO THE SOUTHEAST WHICH WOULD ONLY IMPACT A VERY SMALL PORTION OF OUR FORECAST AREA. LAST BUT NOT LEAST...CONVECTION IS CONTINUING TO PERCOLATE NORTHWEST OF WICHITA IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ENHANCED AREA OF MID LEVEL WARM ADVECTION/ISENTROPIC LIFT. CONSIDERING WHAT HAPPENED TODAY...WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE THIS ACTIVITY CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS. ISENTROPIC LIFT/MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL INCREASE TONIGHT OVER SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA/NORTHEAST KS. ANY STORMS THAT FORM IN THIS AREA WOULD TRACK SOUTHEAST WHICH MAY AFFECT THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. ON TUESDAY...BOTH THE GFS AND NAM AGREE ON CONTINUING TO BRING THE COLD FRONT SOUTH WITH THE NAM A BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH ITS SOUTHWARD PUSH. THERE WILL BE SOME GOOD CONVERGENCE ALONG IT BUT WE WILL BE DEALING WITH SOME CAPPING ISSUES AS MID LEVEL TEMPS CONTINUE TO WARM. THE HIGHER CONFIDENCE IN WIDESPREAD STORMS WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRONG SHORTWAVE THAT BOTH THE NAM AND GFS AGREE ON TRACKING OUT OF CENTRAL/EASTERN NEBRASKA TUE EVENING AND ACROSS EASTERN KS OVERNIGHT. DEPENDING ON WHAT HAPPENS TONIGHT...MAY END UP NEEDING A FLOOD WATCH FOR SOUTHEAST KS FOR TUE NIGHT INTO WED MORNING. JUST LIKE TODAY...TEMPS ON TUE WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON CONVECTIVE TRENDS DURING THE DAY. IF WE CAN REMAIN PRECIP FREE...850MB TEMPS WOULD SUPPORT HIGHS IN THE 100-103 RANGE OVER SOUTHERN KS. AS THIS SHORTWAVE CONTINUES TO TRACK SOUTHEAST...THE COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO PUSH THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE FORECAST AREA ON WED BEFORE GETTING HUNG UP OVER NORTHERN OK. THIS SHOULD LIMIT PRECIP CHANCES OVER MOST OF THE AREA WED. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 321 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 THE WEAK SURFACE HIGH WILL SLOWLY SHIFT EAST ON THU WHICH WILL ALLOW RICH MOISTURE TO WORK BACK OVER WESTERN KS. IN ADDITION...IT APPEARS SOME UPPER ENERGY FROM REMNANT MOUNTAIN CONVECTION WILL PASS OVER THE HIGH PLAINS. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN INCREASING STORM CHANCES FROM WEST TO EAST WITH BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF AGREEING ON THE MOST WIDESPREAD CHANCES THU NIGHT AS A MORE POTENT WAVE MOVES OUT OF THE CENTRAL/SOUTHERN ROCKIES. WE LOOK TO STAY IN THIS NW FLOW ALOFT THROUGH THE WEEKEND WHICH SHOULD RESULT IN CONTINUED ON AND OFF RAIN CHANCES WITH BELOW NORMAL TEMPS. LAWSON && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1238 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 COMPLEX SCENARIO THE NEXT 18-24 HOURS...WITH PERIODIC ROUNDS OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE AREA...AS A STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY SLOWLY LIFTS NORTH ACROSS THE AREA...WHILE ANOTHER FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. SCATTERED CONVECTION SHOULD CONTINUE TO FESTER THIS AFTERNOON/EVENING...WITH POSSIBLY ANOTHER ROUND OF CONVECTION AFFECTING THE REGION LATER THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT...AS ACTIVITY ROLLS SOUTHEAST FROM THE HIGH PLAINS. GUSTY/ERRATIC WINDS...HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY ACTIVITY THAT DEVELOPS. ADK && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 73 98 70 90 / 20 20 40 20 HUTCHINSON 73 97 69 89 / 20 20 40 10 NEWTON 72 96 68 88 / 20 20 50 20 ELDORADO 72 95 70 89 / 20 20 50 20 WINFIELD-KWLD 75 99 72 91 / 20 20 40 20 RUSSELL 71 94 65 90 / 30 30 40 10 GREAT BEND 71 98 67 89 / 20 20 40 10 SALINA 71 93 66 88 / 30 30 50 10 MCPHERSON 72 96 68 89 / 20 30 40 10 COFFEYVILLE 74 96 72 90 / 30 30 40 40 CHANUTE 72 95 68 88 / 40 30 50 30 IOLA 72 94 68 87 / 40 30 60 20 PARSONS-KPPF 73 95 70 89 / 30 30 50 30 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 400 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-231945- 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- 400 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT HEAT INDICES EXCEEDING 100 DEGREES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING OVER PRIMARILY FAR SOUTHERN KANSAS. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THIS EVENING THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. LOCATIONS ALONG AND EAST OF INTERSTATE 135 WILL HAVE THE BEST CHANCE AT STORMS AFTER MIDNIGHT. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED...A FEW OF THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DOWNBURST WINDS OF 50 TO 60 MPH AND DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL. IN ADDITION...ANY STORM WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HIGH RAINFALL RATES THAT MAY RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY HEAT INDICES ARE EXPECTED TO CLIMB INTO THE 100 TO 104 DEGREE RANGE AGAIN ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. PERIODIC CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA FROM TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...WITH CHANCES DIMINISHING BY NEXT WEEKEND. STRONG STORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. THE BEST CHANCES FOR MORE ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOODING APPEARS TO BE ON TUESDAY NIGHT AND AGAIN ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED TONIGHT DUE TO THE ISOLATED NATURE OF THE SEVERE THREAT. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP LAWSON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1028 AM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
KSZ094-098-221630-
CHAUTAUQUA-ELK-
1028 AM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHAUTAUQUA AND ELK COUNTIES...
AT 1025 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF HOWARD...OR 21
MILES SOUTH OF EUREKA...AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE FLOODING WARNINGS...SHOULD
THE RISK FOR MINOR LOW-LAND FLOODING BECOME MORE IMMINENT.
&&
LAT...LON 3746 9648 3761 9641 3761 9621 3758 9596
3756 9596 3722 9612
TIME...MOT...LOC 1528Z 291DEG 23KT 3751 9633
SMITHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1115 AM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
KSZ050-067-221715-
RENO-RICE-
1115 AM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RENO AND RICE COUNTIES...
AT 1112 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTH OF SYLVIA...OR 27 MILES
WEST OF HUTCHINSON...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE FLOODING WARNINGS...SHOULD
THE RISK FOR MINOR LOW-LAND FLOODING BECOME MORE IMMINENT.
&&
LAT...LON 3821 9844 3820 9792 3817 9792 3773 9820
3773 9830 3793 9848 3808 9848
TIME...MOT...LOC 1615Z 294DEG 19KT 3805 9839
SMITHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1130 AM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
KSZ098-221730-
CHAUTAUQUA-
1130 AM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY...
AT 1127 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF CEDAR VALE...OR
12 MILES WEST OF SEDAN...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.
PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE FLOODING WARNINGS...SHOULD
THE RISK FOR MINOR LOW-LAND FLOODING BECOME MORE IMMINENT.
&&
LAT...LON 3700 9652 3708 9653 3713 9653 3730 9643
3730 9596 3700 9597
TIME...MOT...LOC 1630Z 301DEG 16KT 3715 9638
SMITHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1229 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
KSZ098>100-221830-
CHAUTAUQUA-LABETTE-MONTGOMERY-
1229 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHAUTAUQUA...LABETTE AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES...
AT 1228 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HAVANA...OR 12 MILES EAST OF
SEDAN...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE FLOODING WARNINGS...SHOULD
THE RISK FOR MINOR LOW-LAND FLOODING BECOME MORE IMMINENT.
&&
LAT...LON 3703 9617 3727 9604 3728 9534 3699 9544
3699 9599
TIME...MOT...LOC 1729Z 297DEG 25KT 3706 9597
SMITHSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 1236 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 KSZ067-221830- RENO- 1236 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RENO COUNTY... AT 1232 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING TWO THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL NEAR ARLINGTON AND PARTRIDGE...OR 17 MILES NORTHWEST OF KINGMAN...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. PENNY TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE FLOODING WARNINGS...SHOULD THE RISK FOR MINOR LOW-LAND FLOODING BECOME MORE IMMINENT. && LAT...LON 3810 9771 3774 9770 3774 9841 3810 9832 TIME...MOT...LOC 1734Z 299DEG 21KT 3786 9824 SMITH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
337 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
KSZ067-222105-
RENO-
337 PM CDT MON JUL 22 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR RENO COUNTY...
AT 336 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR PARTRIDGE...OR 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
HUTCHINSON...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND
BECOME SEVERE, OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3807 9811 3782 9774 3773 9785 3773 9817
3794 9827
TIME...MOT...LOC 2037Z 314DEG 21KT 3794 9810
KLEINSASSERThe Wichita radar (KICT), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:00 UTC.
14 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Power poles spanning a 1 mile long segment of K-61 were blown down.
Gusts ranged from 50 to 60 mph.
No damage was reported.
The estimated winds ranged from 60 to 70 mph and occurred for around 20 minutes.
The trained spotter also reported 60 to 70 mph winds that occurred around 20 minutes.
A shed was demolished.
Limbs at least 2 inches in diameter were blown down along with large marble-sized hail. The event lasted at least 20 minutes.
Limbs 2 to 3 inches in diameter were blown down as were power lines and power poles. No power outages were reported.
A framed pole barn that was under construction was blown down.
Power poles were blown down at the 123rd Avenue/Argonia Road intersection in Milton. Event time is approximated based on radar.
Transmission lines and power poles were blown down.
Sumner County Emergency Management reported that the roofs were torn off both the Argonia High School and the elementary school. There was also extensive damage to trees, power lines and power poles. The estimated time of when the damage occurred was from 1640 to 1650.
No damage was reported.
The Sumner County Sheriff reported Highway 160 was blocked by uprooted trees. The diameters of the trunks was unknown.
Winds ranged from 60 to 70 mph but no damage was reported.
The trained spotter reported, via the Emergency Manager, of around a dozen ping-pong ball sized hailstones with the rest of the hailstones primarily dime-sized.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, July 2013
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: 471518, 471519, 471520, 471521, 471522, 471524, 471525, 471526, 471527, 471528, 471530, 471529, 471531, 471532, 471533, 471534, 471536, 471537.