An intense surface cyclone situated over the Western Plains produced 45-60 mph winds across parts of Central Kansas during the noon hour. Barton, McPherson & Russell counties were hit the hardest where gusts around 60 mph occurred.
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.
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.
An intense surface cyclone situated over the Western Plains produced 45-60 mph winds across parts of Central Kansas during the noon hour. Barton, McPherson & Russell counties were hit the hardest where gusts around 60 mph occurred. A High Wind Warning had been issued at 1250 PM CDT & had been in effect until 700 PM CDT. The High Wind Warning was cancelled at 504 PM CDT.
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 Mar 26, 9:01 AM CST, 59 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 1001 AM CDT WED MAR 26 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 955 AM CDT WED MAR 26 2014 PUT OUT INITIAL UPDATE TO DELAY THE ONSET OF SHOWERS BY AN HOUR OR TWO. WINDS HAVE STARTED TO CRANK UP OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF HOURS WITH AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF I-135 ALREADY MEETING WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA. SHOWERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SOUTHERN STREAM UPPER WAVE ARE LIFTING NORTHEAST ACROSS OK AND WILL MOVE INTO SOUTHERN KS IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. MAIN REASON FOR UPDATING WAS TO DELAY THE ONSET OF SHOWERS BY A COUPLE HOURS. REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST LOOKS ON TRACK. LAWSON && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 329 AM CDT WED MAR 26 2014 THE DEEPENING LEE SIDE SURFACE TROF WILL RESULT IN STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTH WINDS TODAY...EXCEEDING WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA IN MOST AREAS EXCEPT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF KANSAS. THE APPROACHING SHORTWAVE UPPER TROF OVER NEW MEXICO LOOKS FAIRLY IMPRESSIVE ON SATELLITE EARLY THIS MORNING...AND WILL LIFT QUICKLY TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST OVER OKLAHOMA AND EASTERN KANSAS DURING THE DAY. THE CHALLENGE TODAY WILL BE THE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FLUX AND PRECIP CHANCES/TIMING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. THE SHORT TERM MODELS MAY STILL BE TOO EAGER WITH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FLUX PRIOR TO 18Z...THOUGH THE RATHER VIGOROUS NATURE OF THE SHORTWAVE TROF AND PROGGED LIFT IT SEEMS REASONABLE THAT SHOWERS WILL DEVELOP QUICKLY DURING THE EARLY AFTERNOON WITH THE LOWER LEVEL HUMIDITIES INCREASING BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON. THE SOUTH WINDS LOOK TO REMAIN STOUT INTO TONIGHT...THOUGH PROBABLY DROPPING BELOW WIND CRITERIA BY LATE EVENING. LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT WILL RESULT IN WEAK ELEVATED INSTABILITY OVERNIGHT SO WILL KEEP ISOLATED THUNDER MENTIONED IN THE FORECAST. THE SECONDARY SHORTWAVE UPPER TROF AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE DRYLINE AND COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE AREA DURING THURSDAY. TIMING OF THESE FEATURES ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA STILL SUGGESTS THE BEST CHANCES FOR CONVECTION LOOK TO BE ACROSS SOUTHEAST KANSAS...WHICH IS REFLECTED WELL IN THE CURRENT FORECAST. DESPITE STRONG DEEP LAYER SHEAR...THE WEAK TO MODEST INSTABILITY WILL BE THE LIMITING FACTOR FOR A MORE ROBUST SEVERE EPISODE. STRONG STORMS WITH MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL AND WIND WILL BE POSSIBLE IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS IN THE AFTERNOON...WITH BETTER SEVERE RISK EXPECTED JUST EAST OF THE AREA BY EARLY EVENING. ANOTHER SHORTWAVE TROF IN THE VERY ACTIVE WESTERLY UPPER FLOW WILL AFFECT THE AREA ON FRIDAY. MOISTURE IN THE WAKE OF THE THURSDAY SYSTEM LOOKS MARGINAL...SO WILL LIMIT PRECIP CHANCES...MAINLY LIGHT RAIN TO CENTRAL KANSAS BEFORE NOON...AND MAINLY SOUTHEAST KANSAS IN THE AFTERNOON. DARMOFAL .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 329 AM CDT WED MAR 26 2014 TRANSIENT RIDGING ALOFT ON SATURDAY WILL LEND TO DRY AND MILDER WEATHER...WITH WINDY AND MUCH WARMER CONDITIONS FOR SUNDAY. MODEST COOLING EXPECTED ON MONDAY...WITH A MORE SIGNIFICANT UPPER TROF POSSIBLY AFFECTING THE PLAINS BY LATE TUESDAY. DARMOFAL && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 620 AM CDT WED MAR 26 2014 SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE DRAMATICALLY ACROSS THE ENTIRE REGION THIS MORNING AND CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS...AS SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS UP DUE TO DEEPENING SURFACE LOW PRESSURE OVER EASTERN COLORADO. MEANWHILE...LOW CLOUDS IN THE MVFR RANGE WILL STREAM NORTHWARD INTO KANSAS FROM OKLAHOMA THIS AFTERNOON ALONG WITH CHANCES OF SHOWERS AND A FEW STORMS. THE CIGS WILL LIKELY LOWER INTO THE IFR CATEGORY TONIGHT...AS RICHER GULF MOISTURE SPREADS INTO KANSAS. JAKUB && .FIRE WEATHER... ISSUED AT 329 AM CDT WED MAR 26 2014 A CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER DAY IS EXPECTED TODAY DUE TO STRONG SOUTH WINDS AHEAD OF A DEEPENING LEE SIDE SURFACE TROF. GFDI VALUES ARE FORECAST TO BECOME EXTREME FOR SEVERAL HOURS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS...SUPPORTING A RED FLAG WARNING. VERY HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER IS EXPECTED FURTHER SOUTH ACROSS THE REST OF THE AREA...THOUGH INCREASING CLOUDS AND HUMIDITIES AND SCATTERED SHOWERS DURING THE AFTERNOON ARE EXPECTED TO KEEP SOUTHERN KANSAS OUT OF CRITICAL FIRE DANGER. ON THURSDAY...A DRYLINE AND STRONG COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP EAST AND DROP SOUTH ACROSS THE REGION...WITH STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS IN ITS WAKE. VERY HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER APPEARS LIKELY AREAWIDE THURSDAY. WHILE THERE WILL BE CHANCES FOR WETTING RAINS WITH SHOWERS AND A FEW STORMS LATE TODAY INTO THURSDAY...THE BEST CHANCES ARE EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE KANSAS TURNPIKE. KED && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 56 47 69 37 / 40 30 20 10 HUTCHINSON 57 46 65 34 / 20 30 20 10 NEWTON 57 47 66 34 / 30 30 20 10 ELDORADO 57 47 69 35 / 50 40 30 10 WINFIELD-KWLD 55 48 73 37 / 60 50 30 10 RUSSELL 63 45 58 31 / 10 20 30 20 GREAT BEND 60 45 60 31 / 10 20 20 10 SALINA 61 47 62 33 / 10 30 30 10 MCPHERSON 58 46 64 33 / 20 30 20 10 COFFEYVILLE 57 48 72 39 / 60 60 50 10 CHANUTE 58 47 70 36 / 60 60 50 10 IOLA 58 47 69 35 / 60 60 50 10 PARSONS-KPPF 58 47 71 37 / 70 60 50 10 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>069-082-083-091>093. RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ032-033- 047>051. WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR KSZ070-071-094- 098. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 416 AM CDT WED MAR 26 2014 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-270930- 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- 416 AM CDT WED MAR 26 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT STRONG SOUTH WINDS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA TODAY INTO EARLY TONIGHT. THE WINDS AND LOWER DAYTIME HUMIDITY VALUES WILL ALSO RESULT IN VERY HIGH TO EXTREME GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER. THE MOST CRITICAL FIRE DANGER IS EXPECTED TO BE ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST RED FLAG WARNING AND WIND ADVISORY FOR DETAILS. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA. THE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE STRONG OR SEVERE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY VERY HIGH FIRE DANGER IS EXPECTED ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA ON THURSDAY. CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ON THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON ACROSS SOUTHEAST KANSAS. A FEW STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE...WITH THE PRIMARY THREATS BEING NICKEL TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 60 MPH. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SNOW MIXED WITH RAIN ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. HOWEVER NO ACCUMULATION OF SNOW IS EXPECTED. MUCH WARMER WEATHER IS EXPECTED OVER THE WEEKEND. GUSTY SOUTH WINDS ON SUNDAY WILL COMBINE WITH THE WARM TEMPERATURES AND RESULT IN EXTREME FIRE DANGER OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS WITH VERY HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA. VERY HIGH GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER IS AGAIN POSSIBLE OVER MUCH OF THE AREA ON MONDAY AFTERNOON. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY OR TONIGHT. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT (LOWERCASE) HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/HWO.PHP
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The 60-mph gust was measured by the Russell Airport ASOS.
The 61-mph gust was measured on the west side of Great Bend.
Winds across the county were estimated to be 40 mph with gusts in the 50s.
Winds across the county were estimated to be 40 mph with gusts in the 50s.
The 60-mph gust was measured in McPherson.
Winds across the county were estimated to be 40 mph with gusts in the 50s.
Winds across the county were estimated to be 40 mph with gusts in the 50s. Salina ASOS reported a sustained wind of 38.8 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, March 2014
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: 508025, 508023, 508072, 508073, 508024, 508074, 508071.