A prolonged period of dry weather, lingered drought conditions across most of Kansas during the month of March. An unusually dry period from May through December, 2012, kept an extreme drought (D3) going for most of Central and Southern Kansas.
Every event with a place to put it; 26 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.
A prolonged period of dry weather, lingered drought conditions across most of Kansas during the month of March. An unusually dry period from May through December, 2012, kept an extreme drought (D3) going for most of Central and Southern Kansas. There was some improvement in the drought conditions towards the end of February, as two soaking rains occurred, which led to some improvement of the drought going into early March.
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 Feb 28, 11:52 PM CST, 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 1152 PM CST THU FEB 28 2013 .AVIATION...06Z TAFS KRSL/KSLN/KHUT/KICT/KCNU AN EXTENSIVE FIELD OF 2,000-2,500FT STRATOCU ASSOCIATED WITH 925-850MB WRAP-AROUND WILL COVER NEARLY ALL OF CNTRL & SC KS THROUGHOUT THE 06Z TAF CYCLE. A FEW FLURRIES ARE POSSIBLE OVER ERN KS TOMORROW MORNING BUT WILL NOT CAUSE VSBY RESTRICTIONS. THE TRICKY TERMINAL IS KRSL WHICH IS SITUATED JUST W OF THE STRATOCU FIELD. THE CONCERN HERE IS THAT OF FOG FORMATION LATE TONIGHT DUE TO LIGHT WINDS & WHERE RADIATIONAL COOLING WOULD BE MOST PRONOUNCED. VSBYS AT KRSL ARE ALREADY FLUCTUATING GREATLY SO WILL BE MONITORING CLOSELY. CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING THAT KRSL WILL DETERIORATE INTO VLIFR 10-12Z & REMAIN IN THIS STATUS TIL ~15Z WHEN CIGS & VSBYS SHOULD SLOWLY IMPROVE. HAVE LEFT THE LATER PERIODS (AFTER 20Z) UNPOPULATED UNTIL THESE LATER PERIODS COME INTO BETTER FOCUS. && PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 319 PM CST THU FEB 28 2013/ DISCUSSION... NORTHWEST MID/UPPER FLOW IS PROGGED TO PREVAIL ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS THROUGH SATURDAY BEFORE A TRANSIENT SHORTWAVE RIDGE TRANSLATES OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS LEADING TO RISING TEMPERATURES OVER THE WEEKEND. THIS MID/UPPER FLOW PATTERN MAY LEAD TO PERIODS OF CLOUDS/VERY LIGHT PRECIPITATION AS A SERIES OF SUBTLE SHORTWAVE TROUGHS DIG SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA BUT NOTHING MORE THAN A FEW SPRINKLES OR FLURRIES ARE ANTICIPATED ON FRI/PERHAPS SAT WITHIN A LOW MOISTURE/TRANSIENT NW FLOW REGIME. CONFIDENCE AND PROBABILITIES FOR ACCUMULATING PRECIPITATION REMAIN QUITE LOW AT THIS TIME. CONTINUED CLOUDS AND WEAK H85 CAA WILL LEAD TO ANOTHER CHILLY DAY ON FRI WITH HIGHS IN THE 30S. A SUBTLE WARMING TREND IS ANTICIPATED THEREAFTER WITH HIGHS REBOUNDING INTO THE 40S AND 50S OVER THE WEEKEND. THE AMOUNT OF WARMING ON SUNDAY WILL DEPEND ON SNOW MELT BUT CONTINUED TO TREND TOWARD A WARMER SCENARIO ON SUNDAY. THIS SHORTWAVE RIDGE WILL BREAK DOWN ON MONDAY WITH ANOTHER STRONG COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO ARRIVE ON TUESDAY. MAINTAINED LOW POPS OVER FAR SOUTHEAST KS HOWEVER STRONG WINDS WILL BE THE BIGGER STORY UNLESS THE STORM SYSTEM TRACKS FURTHER SOUTH. THE COOL DOWN ON MONDAY WILL BE SHORT-LIVED AS ANOTHER MID/UPPER RIDGE ARRIVES TOWARD THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. THIS RIDGE WILL BRING RISING TEMPERATURES AND DRY WEATHER WITH HIGHS RETURNING TO ABOVE NORMAL CONDITIONS ON SUNDAY WITH VALUES APPROACHING 60 IN SOME LOCATIONS. MCGUIRE && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 22 35 18 43 / 0 10 0 0 HUTCHINSON 21 35 18 44 / 0 10 0 0 NEWTON 22 35 17 41 / 0 10 0 0 ELDORADO 24 35 17 41 / 0 10 0 0 WINFIELD-KWLD 24 35 19 42 / 0 10 0 0 RUSSELL 18 36 17 45 / 0 10 0 0 GREAT BEND 19 36 18 46 / 0 10 0 0 SALINA 22 34 18 43 / 0 10 0 0 MCPHERSON 22 35 17 43 / 0 10 0 0 COFFEYVILLE 28 36 21 41 / 10 10 0 0 CHANUTE 25 35 18 38 / 0 10 0 0 IOLA 25 35 17 38 / 0 10 0 0 PARSONS-KPPF 25 35 19 39 / 10 10 0 0 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 431 PM CST THU FEB 28 2013 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-012245- 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- 431 PM CST THU FEB 28 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .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 MWM
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
26 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across South Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across South Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across South Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across South Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across South Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across South Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March. Wichita Mid Continent Airport did pick some rainfall during the month, but the rainfall total ended up being below normal.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across South Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across South Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across the Flint Hills and Southeast Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across the Flint Hills and Southeast Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The severe drought (D2), continued across the Flint Hills of Southeast Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The severe drought (D2), continued across the Flint Hills of Southeast Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The severe drought (D2), continued across the Flint Hills of Southeast Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The severe drought (D2), continued across the Flint Hills of Southeast Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The severe drought (D2), continued across the Flint Hills of Southeast Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The severe drought (D2), continued across the Flint Hills of Southeast Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The severe drought (D2), continued across the Flint Hills of Southeast Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
The extreme drought (D3), continued across Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March. Some improvement in the drought conditions did occur, as most locations across Central Kansas saw above normal rainfall for the first time in almost nine months which led to the drought dropping to severe (D2) by the middle of the month.
The severe drought (D2), continued across Central Kansas during the month of March. This was a continuation of a drought that started in late May and continued through the month of February and into March.
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, March 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: 439267, 439268, 439269, 439270, 439271, 439273, 439274, 439275, 439276, 439277, 439278, 439279, 439280, 439281, 439282, 439283, 439284, 439285, 439286, 439287, 439288, 439289, 439290, 439291, 439292, 439293.