An impressive storm moved east across far South Central portions of Kansas producing damaging winds.
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.
An impressive storm moved east across far South Central portions of Kansas producing damaging winds.
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 16, 5:31 PM CST, 3 hours 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 631 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015 ...UPDATED FOR 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 331 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015 TONIGHT: A SUBTROPICAL MID- UPPER LEVEL MOISTURE PLUME VIA WATER VAPOR CHANNEL...STRETCHES FROM NEW MEXICO/WEST TEXAS UP OVER MUCH OF KANSAS. A SURFACE TROUGH AXIS WILL REMAIN ACROSS CENTRAL/SOUTH CENTRAL KS THIS PM/EVE...BEFORE LIFTING BACK WESTWARD LATE TONIGHT. MLCAPES OF 2000-3000 J/KG EXPECTED LATE THIS PM/EVE BEFORE DECLINING SOME OVERNIGHT WITH WEAK DEEP LAYER SHEAR...AND VERY HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER OF 1.5 TO 1.9 INCHES. A COMBINATION OF WEAK PERTURBATIONS WITHIN THE MOIST PLUME AND CONVERGENCE NEAR THE SURFACE TROUGH COULD SPARK ISOLATED TO WIDELY SEPARATED THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT. SHORT TERM MODEL DATA INCLUDING HI-RES...WOULD INDICATE THE BEST (ALBEIT SOMEWHAT WEAK) SIGNAL FOR CONVECTION ALONG/EAST OF THE SURFACE TROUGH WHERE SOME 850 MOISTURE TRANSPORT IS INDICATED...WITHIN THE HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER AXIS...ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS. WILL CARRY 15-25% THUNDERSTORM CHANCES IN THOSE AREAS. AN ISOLATED STRONG-MARGINALLY SEVERE DOWNBURST...AND HAIL OF NICKEL TO QUARTER SIZE WOULD BE POSSIBLE IN ADDITION TO BRIEF INTENSE RAINFALL RATES (VERY LOCALIZED). MUCH OF THE AREA MAY REMAIN DRY. JMC FRIDAY-FRIDAY NIGHT: SCATTERED SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS MAY BE ONGOING OVER SOUTHERN/SOUTHEAST KANSAS FRIDAY MORNING...AMIDST RICH MID- LEVEL SUBTROPICAL MOISTURE...POSSIBLY AIDED BY SUBTLE 800-600MB CONVERGENCE. UNSURE ON HOW WIDESPREAD THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE...SO ONLY WENT 30 POPS FOR NOW. THINKING THIS ACTIVITY SHOULD GRADUALLY DISSIPATE BY AFTERNOON. NAM/GFS PROG A SUBTLE UPPER WAVE APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTHWEST BY PEAK HEATING FRIDAY. GIVEN THE EXPECTED HOT/MOIST/UNSTABLE CONDITIONS...COULD SEE A FEW AFTERNOON-EVENING THUNDERSTORMS...ESPECIALLY ALONG/WEST OF I-135. WHILE AN ISOLATED STRONG/SEVERE STORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT THROUGH MID- EVENING...WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS UNLIKELY GIVEN WEAK SHEAR/FORCING. SOME OF THIS ACTIVITY COULD DRIBBLE AS FAR EAST AS THE FLINT HILLS FRIDAY NIGHT. SATURDAY-SUNDAY NIGHT: A FAIRLY STRONG COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO DRIVE SOUTH INTO MID-AMERICA SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY...IN RESPONSE TO STOUT SHORTWAVE ENERGY PROGRESSING OVER THE NORTHERN PLAINS/SOUTHERN CANADA. COULD SEE A FEW ISOLATED STORMS FIRE IN VICINITY OF THIS FRONT OVER CENTRAL/NORTH-CENTRAL KS AS EARLY AS LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON...WITH CHANCES INCREASING SATURDAY NIGHT...AND ESPECIALLY SUNDAY-SUNDAY NIGHT...AS THE FRONT STALLS SOMEWHERE ACROSS SOUTHERN KS/NORTHERN OK...AIDED BY WEAK-SUBTLE UPPER WAVES TOPPING THE RIDGE FROM THE WEST. GIVEN MODEST MID- UPPER FLOW ALONG WITH DECENT FRONTAL CONVERGENCE AND EXPECTED INSTABILITY...COULD BE LOOKING AT A HANDFUL OF STRONG/SEVERE STORMS MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS...ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES GIVEN THE HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES. CONTEMPLATED A HEAT ADVISORY FOR SATURDAY-SUNDAY ACROSS THE REGION...AS AFTERNOON-EARLY EVENING HEAT INDICES APPROACH 105 DEGREES. HOWEVER...AFTER EXTENSIVE INTER-OFFICE COORDINATION...DECIDED TO PUNT DECISION TO LATER SHIFTS...AS HEAT INDICES APPEAR MARGINAL AT THIS TIME. ADK .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 331 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015 LINGERING EFFECTS OF THE WEAK QUASI- STATIONARY FRONT ACROSS THE REGION IN CONCERT WITH SUBTLE UPPER WAVES APPROACHING FROM THE WEST...TOPPING THE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE ANCHORED OVER THE SOUTHERN CONUS...WILL PROMOTE CONTINUED PERIODIC CHANCES OF SHOWERS/THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION THROUGH ROUGHLY TUESDAY NIGHT. THESE CHANCES WILL BE HIGHEST DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON- EVENING. THEREAFTER...THE BUILDING RIDGE AND INCREASING SOUTHERLY LOW-LEVEL FLOW (ACTING TO DISSIPATE THE STALLED FRONTAL ZONE) SHOULD TEND TO END PRECIPITATION CHANCES ACROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY THROUGH AT LEAST LATE WEEK. LONG-RANGE GUIDANCE SUGGESTS TYPICAL HOT AND DRY SUMMER WEATHER LIKELY PERSISTING THROUGH AT LEAST THE WEEKEND...AS UPPER RIDGING CONTINUES TO BUILD ACROSS MID-AMERICA. ADK && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 626 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015 WIDELY SCATTERED STORMS DEVELOPING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KS MAY IMPACT THE KICT AREA AFTER 0130Z. THIS ACTIVITY MAY LINGER ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KS THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT BUT COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN RATHER ISOLATED. BRIEF IFR/MVFR MAY DEVELOP UNDER THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY WITH ERRATIC AND GUSTY WINDS IN AND NEAR STORMS. LIGHT WESTERLY WINDS ACROSS CENTRAL KS WILL SHIFT TO THE SOUTH TONIGHT AND MAINTAIN A SSW DIRECTION THROUGH THE DAY ON FRIDAY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 75 96 77 99 / 30 30 20 10 HUTCHINSON 74 98 77 100 / 30 20 20 10 NEWTON 74 96 76 98 / 30 20 20 10 ELDORADO 74 95 76 96 / 30 30 20 10 WINFIELD-KWLD 76 96 77 97 / 30 30 10 10 RUSSELL 71 99 74 101 / 10 20 20 20 GREAT BEND 71 98 75 101 / 10 20 20 20 SALINA 74 100 76 100 / 20 20 20 10 MCPHERSON 74 98 76 100 / 20 20 20 10 COFFEYVILLE 75 94 76 96 / 30 30 10 10 CHANUTE 74 94 76 95 / 30 30 10 10 IOLA 74 93 76 94 / 30 30 10 10 PARSONS-KPPF 75 93 76 95 / 30 30 10 10 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 448 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-172200- 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- 448 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING...POSSIBLY PERSISTING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...ANY ACTIVITY THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE CAPABLE OF 50 TO 60 MPH WINDS...DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY EVENING HEAT INDICES OF 100 TO 105 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...POSSIBLY EXTENDING INTO MONDAY OVER FAR SOUTHERN KANSAS. HIT-OR-MISS THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK....MAINLY DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON...EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. A MORE WIDESPREAD CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED DURING ANY OF THESE PERIODS...A HANDFUL OF STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF 60 MPH WINDS AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TONIGHT. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
928 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015
KSZ091-170300-
HARPER KS-
928 PM CDT THU JUL 16 2015
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A
* SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
SOUTHERN HARPER COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS...
* UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
* AT 927 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTH OF ATTICA...MOVING
EAST AT 25 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ANTHONY...BLUFF CITY AND FREEPORT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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 3710 9832 3722 9829 3722 9781 3700 9787
3700 9817
TIME...MOT...LOC 0227Z 279DEG 23KT 3713 9819
HOWERTONThe Vance AFB radar (KVNX), 56 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:44 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained storm spotter reported an estimated wind gust of 60 mph.
A 10 to 12 inch diamter tree was broken off at the trunk.
Wind was measured at 61 mph.
Tree branches of 6 to 8 inches in diameter were downed and partially blocking the road.
Tree branches of 3 to 4 inches had been blown off of trees and were partially blocking the roads in town.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, July 2015
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: 596874, 596875, 596876, 596877, 596879.