Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, July 19, 2015

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, July 19, 2015
Start: 2015-07-19T19:35
End: 2015-07-19T20:47
Location: Kansas

July 19, 2015 · NWS DDC · 8 events in 7 counties and zones

An upper level short wave trough interacted with an unstable atmosphere and stationary front to produce thunderstorms, some of which were severe.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS DDC wrote it up.

An upper level short wave trough interacted with an unstable atmosphere and stationary front to produce thunderstorms, some of which were severe.

What forecasters said that day

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 Dodge City, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 19, 5:51 PM CST, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 19, 5:51 PM CST, 1 hour 44 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
651 PM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

...UPDATED AVIATION SECTION...

.SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH MONDAY)
ISSUED AT 333 PM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WAS TRAVERSING THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS THIS
AFTERNOON. A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONT WAS SITUATED ACROSS WESTERN
KANSAS, WITH RICH LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN PLACE, PARTICULARLY TO THE
NORTH OF THE FRONT FROM HAYS TO SCOTT CITY. A SURFACE TROUGH WAS
LOCATED ALONG THE OKLAHOMA BORDER THAT SEPARATED SOUTH WINDS AND
WARMER TEMPERATURES FROM SOUTHEAST WINDS AND SLIGHT COOLER
TEMPERATURES AS A RESULT OF UPSLOPE FLOW. THUNDERSTORMS COULD
DEVELOP NEAR NEAR THE SURFACE TROUGH IN THE OKLAHOMA PANHANDLE
AND PROPAGATE TO THE EAST OR NORTHEAST PER HRRR. OTHER MUCH LARGER
BATCHES OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ON THE MAJOR
TERRAIN FEATURES OF EASTERN COLORADO INCLUDING THE PALMER DIVIDE
AND RATON MESA, AND THEN PROGRESS INTO WESTERN KANSAS THIS
EVENING AND TONIGHT. GIVEN THAT VERY HIGH DEWPOINTS FROM 68-74F
WERE IN PLACE ALONG THE INTERSTATE 70 CORRIDOR(AFTER CORRECTING
FOR THE CONTINUING SUSPICIOUS DATA FROM KHYS), THESE STORMS WILL
REMAIN STRONG AND PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. THEREFORE, A FLASH
FLOOD WATCH WAS ISSUED FOR ELLIS AND TREGO COUNTIES WHERE 3 TO 4
INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS.

ON SUNDAY, THE EFFECTIVE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL HAVE PUSHED INTO
NORTHERN OKLAHOMA, WITH CONTINUED HUMID CONDITIONS ACROSS WESTERN
KANSAS. THE BEST CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ALONG THE
OKLAHOMA STATE LINE. HIGHS SHOULD BE ONLY IN THE 80S TO MID 90S.

.LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY)
ISSUED AT 333 PM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

THUNDERSTORM CHANCES ARE HIGH MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AS
UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES CONTINUE TO PROGRESS ACROSS THE PLAINS ON
THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGING. IN ADDITION,
LOW LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BE RICH ON THE COOL SIDE OF THE SURFACE
FRONT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE, WITH THE BEST CHANCES BEING
IN THE EVENING, OVERNIGHT AND EARLY MORNING PER CLIMATOLOGY. THE
CLOUDS AND CONVECTIVE OUTFLOW WILL KEEP HIGH TEMPERATURES FROM
RISING MUCH ABOVE THE 80S TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. UPPER LEVEL
RIDGING WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS BY LATE THIS WEEK
AND PERSIST INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL WARM INTO
THE 90S AGAIN BY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AND THEN COME CLOSE TO 100F
BY THE WEEKEND. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL DIMINISH AS WELL, WITH
ONLY ISOLATED ACTIVITY EXPECTED.

&&

.AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z MONDAY EVENING)
ISSUED AT 646 PM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

EASTERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OFF HOURS AS THE
TAF SITES REMAIN EAST OF A STALLED OUT FRONT. WINDS BECOME LIGHT
AND VARIABLE OVERNIGHT AS THIS FRONT SHIFTS FARTHER EAST. VFR
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH A PART OF THIS EVENING. HOWEVER,
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE IN AFTER 02-03Z
BRINGING MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DDC  68  91  68  84 /  40  20  50  50
GCK  67  89  67  84 /  50  20  40  50
EHA  67  89  66  85 /  40  30  40  50
LBL  68  91  68  84 /  30  30  50  50
HYS  68  91  66  84 /  70  50  20  40
P28  73  94  71  87 /  40  30  40  50

&&

.DDC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR KSZ030-031.

&&

SHORT TERM...FINCH
LONG TERM...FINCH
AVIATION...HOVORKA_42

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 19, 3:17 AM CST, 16 hours 18 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
417 AM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-200930-
TREGO-ELLIS-SCOTT-LANE-NESS-RUSH-HAMILTON-KEARNY-FINNEY-HODGEMAN-
PAWNEE-STAFFORD-STANTON-GRANT-HASKELL-GRAY-FORD-EDWARDS-KIOWA-
PRATT-MORTON-STEVENS-SEWARD-MEADE-CLARK-COMANCHE-BARBER-
417 AM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...SOUTH
CENTRAL...SOUTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL KANSAS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

DISCUSSION...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE
ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL KANSAS
LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER TO GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL, DAMAGING
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH, AND LOCALIZED FLOODING. AN ISOLATED
TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT.

WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED...

  LIMITED TORNADO RISK.
  ELEVATED HAIL RISK.
  ELEVATED THUNDERSTORM WIND DAMAGE RISK.
  LIMITED FLOODING RISK.
  ELEVATED LIGHTNING RISK.
  ELEVATED EXCESSIVE HEAT RISK.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

DISCUSSION...THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
THE PRIMARY THREAT FOR STORMS MONDAY IS EXPECTED TO BE DAMAGING WINDS
AND UP TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL. ALTHOUGH THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER
IS UNCERTAIN TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, THE CHANCE FOR HEAVY RAINFALL EXISTS
WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS, POTENTIALLY CAUSING LOCALIZED FLOODING.

HAZARDS WEATHER RISK...

  MONDAY...
  LIMITED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM RISK.
  ELEVATED EXCESSIVE HEAT RISK.

  TUESDAY...
  LIMITED FLOODING RISK.
  LIMITED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM RISK.
  LIMITED EXCESSIVE HEAT RISK.

  WEDNESDAY...
  LIMITED FLOODING RISK.
  ELEVATED LIGHTNING RISK.
  LIMITED EXCESSIVE HEAT RISK.

  THURSDAY...
  ELEVATED EXCESSIVE HEAT RISK.

  FRIDAY...
  LIMITED LIGHTNING RISK.
  ELEVATED EXCESSIVE HEAT RISK.

  SATURDAY...
  LIMITED LIGHTNING RISK.
  LIMITED EXCESSIVE HEAT RISK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS
EVENING...MAINLY WEST OF A HAYS TO MEADE LINE.

&&

FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT OUR WEBPAGE HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/DDC/EHWO

32

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 19, 7:19 PM CST, 16 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
819 PM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

KSZ063-076-077-200215-
HASKELL KS-GRAY KS-FINNEY KS-
819 PM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HASKELL...SOUTHWESTERN FINNEY AND
SOUTHERN GRAY COUNTIES UNTIL 915 PM CDT...

AT 819 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5
MILES NORTH OF SUBLETTE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CIMARRON...SUBLETTE...SATANTA...PIERCEVILLE...COPELAND...INGALLS...
CHARLESTON...PLYMELL AND TICE.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 3743 10108 3798 10097 3777 10021 3741 10079
TIME...MOT...LOC 0119Z 216DEG 33KT 3755 10086

UMSCHEID

Special weather statement, Jul 19, 7:21 PM CST, 14 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
821 PM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

KSZ074-084-200200-
MORTON KS-STANTON KS-
821 PM CDT SUN JUL 19 2015

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN STANTON AND MORTON
COUNTIES UNTIL 900 PM CDT...

AT 820 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES SOUTH OF THE
SAUNDERS ELEVATOR TO 4 MILES WEST OF ELKHART...AND MOVING EAST AT 30
MPH.

NICKEL SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THESE STORMS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
ELKHART...ROLLA...MANTER...RICHFIELD...WILBURTON AND THE SAUNDERS
ELEVATOR.

THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 3750 10204 3758 10159 3700 10156 3699 10203
      3705 10204
TIME...MOT...LOC 0120Z 263DEG 28KT 3742 10206 3701 10197

UMSCHEID

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 86 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:37 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Haskell

When: July 19, 7:35 PM CST
Where: Haskell County, 3.02 mi NW of Sublette
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.510, -100.890

Thunderstorm Wind, Kearny

When: July 19, 7:45 PM CST
Where: Kearny County, 17.69 mi NNW of Lake Mc Kinney
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.230, -101.270

Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Morton

When: July 19, 7:55 PM CST
Where: Morton County, 3.58 mi ENE of Richfield
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.290, -101.720

Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stanton

When: July 19, 8:16 PM CST
Where: Stanton County, 4.69 mi SSE of Big Bow
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.510, -101.530

Winds were estimated to be 70 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: July 19, 8:16 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 7.31 mi SW of Ryus
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.410, -101.200

Winds were estimated to be 70 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Finney

When: July 19, 8:26 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 0.54 mi E of (Gck)garden City Arpt
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) measured gust
Reported by: ASOS
Coordinates: 37.930, -100.720

Thunderstorm Wind, Finney

When: July 19, 8:45 PM CST
Where: Finney County, 10.25 mi NW of Eminence
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.210, -100.650

Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When: July 19, 8:47 PM CST
Where: Scott County, 10.36 mi SE of Shallow Water
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.270, -100.790

Winds were estimated to be 60 MPH.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kansas in 2015 Every state in 2015 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, July 2015

Sources

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: 597572, 597573, 597577, 597574, 597575, 597576, 597579, 597578.