A widespread outbreak of severe weather occurred over southeast Kansas.
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.
A widespread outbreak of severe weather occurred over southeast Kansas.
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 May 30, 2:36 AM CST, 2 hours 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 336 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH SATURDAY) ISSUED AT 332 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 A NEGATIVELY TILTED MID/UPPER TROUGH WILL LIFT OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND OVER THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS TODAY. AS THIS OCCURS...A 110+ KT H3 JET MAX WILL EMERGE OVER THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS STATES. THIS WILL ALLOW SFC LOW PRESSURE TO DEEPEN OVER THE SOUTHERN HIGH PLAINS ALLOWING LOW LEVEL WINDS TO BACK AND RICH MOISTURE TO RETURN TO SOUTHERN KANSAS BY LATE AFTERNOON/EARLY EVENING. SOME DIFFERENCES IN TIMING REMAIN BUT BOTH THE GFS/NAM SUPPORT THIS SCENARIO WITH THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT EXPECTED ALONG A RETREATING DRYLINE MOVING NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS THE WARM SECTOR BY LATE AFTERNOON AND CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING HOURS. THE WIND PROFILES ACROSS SOUTHERN...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS WILL BECOME QUITE FAVORABLE FOR LONG-LIVED SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES POSSIBLE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. GIVEN ONGOING DEEP MOIST CONVECTION LINGERING ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...UNCERTAINTY IN THE AMOUNT OF HEATING MAY LIMIT THE WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR MORE VIGOROUS SUPERCELL AND TORNADO DEVELOPMENT...HOWEVER WILL KEEP A HEAVILY WORDED HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK GIVEN THE FAVORABLE SHEAR/INSTABILITY PROGS. THE FLOW BECOMES MORE UNIDIRECTIONAL AFTER 06Z ALTHOUGH CONTINUED H7 WAA/300-315K ISENTROPIC UPGLIDE AND CONVERGENCE ALONG NOSE OF LLJ SHOULD SUPPORT CONTINUED DEEP MOIST CONVECTION THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT. GIVEN WIDESPREAD 1-2 INCH RAINFALLS ACROSS SOUTHEAST KANSAS TONIGHT AND AN ADDITIONAL 2-4+ INCHES POSSIBLE WITH PWATS REMAINING AROUND 180 PERCENT OF NORMAL THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT A FLASH FLOOD WATCH WILL BE ISSUED FOR ALL OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY AS MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF HEAVY RAIN ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE PERIOD. FRIDAY...THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IS EXPECTED TO SHIFT TO LOCATIONS MAINLY EAST OF THE KANSAS TURNPIKE. SHEAR PROFILES APPEAR MORE FAVORABLE FOR LINEAR MODE...BUT ABUNDANT BUOYANCY WILL RESULT IN ANOTHER DAY OF SEVERE WEATHER AND THE POTENTIAL FOR HEAVY RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE COLD FRONT FINALLY MOVES SOUTH AND EAST OF THE AREA AND DRIER AIR IS ADVECTED ACROSS THE CENTRAL PLAINS BRINGING AN END TO PRECIPITATION ACROSS SOUTHEAST KANSAS. SATURDAY...BREEZY POST-FRONTAL NORTHWEST WINDS AND SEASONABLY COOL HIGHS IN THE 70S ARE ANTICIPATED. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 332 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 SHORTWAVE RIDGING WILL RETURN SUNDAY INTO MONDAY BEFORE ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. LOW LEVEL SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL RETURN TO THE AREA ON MONDAY ALLOWING MOISTURE TO RETURN NORTH. MAINTAINED LOW POPS ACROSS THE AREA AS BOTH GFS/ECMWF INDICATE A SHORTWAVE TROUGH MOVING OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS THROUGH MID WEEK. MWM && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1135 PM CDT WED MAY 29 2013 MAIN FOCUS IS ON CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL. SHORT RANGE HIGH RESOLUTION MODELS MAINTAIN TWO SEPARATE CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS OVERNIGHT...ONE MOVING OUT OF OKLAHOMA ACROSS FAR SOUTHEAST KS. A SECOND ONE ACROSS CENTRAL KS SHOULD MOVE SLOWLY EAST-SOUTHEAST ACROSS OUR FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT AND COULD PERSIST IN SOUTHEAST KS THURSDAY MORNING. ANY OF THE STORMS OVERNIGHT COULD HAVE STRONG/GUSTY WINDS. MVFR CIGS POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE AREA EARLY THURSDAY MORNING BEFORE DISSIPATING BY LATE MORNING. ADDITIONAL ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SEVERE STORMS MAY DEVELOP NEAR/EAST OF A DRYLINE NEAR THE I-135 CORRIDOR LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON. THE COVERAGE OF STORMS COULD INCREASE THURS EVE WITH 50 KT SOUTHERLY LOW-LEVEL JET AND WARM AIR ADVECTION ALOFT DEVELOPING. PILOTS WILL WANT TO AVOID THESE STORMS AT ALL COST...AS THEY COULD CONTAIN HIGH END SEVERE WEATHER. JMC && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 82 67 84 59 / 50 40 40 30 HUTCHINSON 82 65 83 56 / 30 30 30 20 NEWTON 80 64 82 56 / 40 40 40 30 ELDORADO 80 67 83 58 / 50 50 40 40 WINFIELD-KWLD 82 68 85 60 / 50 50 40 50 RUSSELL 81 57 81 53 / 30 20 10 10 GREAT BEND 82 59 82 53 / 30 20 20 10 SALINA 81 63 82 55 / 50 30 30 20 MCPHERSON 81 64 83 56 / 40 30 30 20 COFFEYVILLE 79 67 82 65 / 60 60 50 90 CHANUTE 78 67 81 63 / 70 70 60 70 IOLA 78 67 80 62 / 70 70 60 70 PARSONS-KPPF 78 67 82 64 / 60 60 50 80 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING FOR KSZ070>072-094>096- 098>100. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 418 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-310930- 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- 418 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DIMINISH THIS MORNING. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL IN ADDITION TO LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. MEANWHILE...AFTER A BRIEF LULL...THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG A RETREATING DRY LINE ACROSS SOUTHERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP RAPIDLY AND MOVE EASTWARD...WITH VERY LARGE HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS AND DAMAGING WINDS GREATER THAN 70 MPH POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION...A STRONG OR LONG TRACK TORNADO OR TWO WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. LOCATIONS ALONG AND SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 50 WILL HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR TORNADOES...OR SOUTH OF A LINE FROM HUTCHINSON TO COTTONWOOD FALLS THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SEVERE STORMS WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR FRIDAY INTO FRIDAY NIGHT FOR LOCATIONS MAINLY SOUTHEAST OF THE KANSAS TURNPIKE. IN ADDITION...MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF HEAVY RAIN MAY RESULT IN RISES ON CREEKS AND STREAMS ACROSS SOUTHEAST KANSAS AND A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT. CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS MAY RETURN TO THE AREA MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED FOR SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ALONG AND SOUTHEAST OF THE KANSAS TURNPIKE ON FRIDAY. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP MWM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
213 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
KSZ083-092-300745-
SEDGWICK-SUMNER-
213 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SEDGWICK AND SUMNER COUNTIES...
AT 208 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CONWAY SPRINGS...OR 13 MILES WEST OF
WELLINGTON...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
DIME SIZED HAIL AND WINDS TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE THUNDERSTORMS INTENSIFY
AND BECOME SEVERE...OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3737 9774 3774 9732 3759 9715 3749 9715
3723 9759
TIME...MOT...LOC 0712Z 228DEG 35KT 3737 9758
ESSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
246 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
KSZ051-067-068-082-083-300815-
HARVEY-KINGMAN-MCPHERSON-RENO-SEDGWICK-
246 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HARVEY...NORTHEAST KINGMAN...SOUTHWEST
MCPHERSON...RENO AND SEDGWICK COUNTIES...
AT 241 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM HUTCHINSON TO 5
MILES SOUTH OF ARLINGTON...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
DIME SIZED HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS.
BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE THUNDERSTORMS INTENSIFY
AND BECOME SEVERE...OR A WARNING IS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3780 9831 3817 9795 3817 9792 3820 9792
3826 9787 3800 9747 3755 9805
TIME...MOT...LOC 0744Z 319DEG 35KT 3811 9786 3780 9815
ESSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
320 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
KSZ052-301015-
MARION-
320 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MARION COUNTY...
AT 319 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MOUNDRIDGE...OR 12 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
MCPHERSON...AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
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 3847 9694 3812 9696 3812 9715 3818 9716
3818 9737 3837 9737
TIME...MOT...LOC 0820Z 269DEG 22KT 3821 9757
COOKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 400 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 KSZ069-301100- BUTLER- 400 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013 ...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BUTLER COUNTY... AT 357 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR GOESSEL...OR 12 MILES NORTH OF NEWTON... AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. 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 3808 9715 3809 9653 3748 9653 3747 9715 TIME...MOT...LOC 0900Z 269DEG 22KT 3822 9726 COOK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
432 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
KSZ067-068-082-083-301130-
HARVEY-KINGMAN-RENO-SEDGWICK-
432 AM CDT THU MAY 30 2013
...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A SIGNIFICANT
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HARVEY...KINGMAN...RENO AND SEDGWICK COUNTIES...
AT 425 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED
THUNDERSTORMS STALLING OUT OVER CENTRAL KANSAS. THE HEAVIEST
RAINFALL WAS CENTERED OVER THE ADVISED AREA AND WILL CONTINUE IN
THESE SAME LOCATIONS THROUGH THE MORNING RUSH HOUR. THIS WILL CAUSE
STREET FLOODING AND FLOODING OF THE NORMALLY FLOOD PRONE LOCATIONS.
THIS WILL ALSO AFFECT THE MORNING COMMUTE ALONG INTERSTATE 135...
HIGHWAY 54...AND KANSAS HIGHWAYS 96 AND 42.
&&
LAT...LON 3817 9847 3817 9715 3747 9716 3748 9780
3739 9781 3738 9847
TIME...MOT...LOC 0928Z 223DEG 29KT 3782 9797
COOKThe Wichita radar (KICT), 16 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:21 UTC.
10 hail, 8 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood, 3 flood, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Several reports of localized flooding in and around the city of Wichita.
Wind apparently pushed a vehicle off of the road.
Heavy rains were starting to become an issue and pond on the roadways.
Water rescues were performed on five vehicles due to people driving into water covered roads.
Water was reported across several roads in the Dearing area.
No damage was reported.
Water was flowing across highway 101 just north of Edna.
A car was blown off of the roadway.
A brief touchdown was noted over rural sections just to the west of Independence.
No damage was reported. Nickel sized hail also accompanied the high winds.
No damage was reported.
Numerous low water crossings were being inundated by water.
No damage was reported.
Some minor damage was reported to a few structures.
Estimated winds up to 85 mph caused a swath of damage from Cedar Vale to 9 miles northwest of Sedan. Numerous trees, power lines, and limbs were reported down. The swath was estimated to be 2 to 3 miles wide. An estimated 9 power poles were laying across highway 99.
Several county roads were reported as under water and impassable.
Several county roads were reported as under water and impassable.
Pea sized hail was also reported.
Fifty mph winds were also reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kansas, 2013Warnings in Kansas, May 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: 472319, 472326, 472323, 472324, 472320, 472315, 472316, 472327, 472317, 472325, 472328, 443678, 472329, 472330, 472331, 472333, 472332, 472334, 472335, 472322, 472336, 472337, 472340, 472313, 472314, 472339, 472338.