Very heavy rains moved over an already unsaturated ground causing flooding of roads at many locations.
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.
Very heavy rains moved over an already unsaturated ground causing flooding of roads at many locations.
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 27, 5:36 PM CST, 3 hours 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 636 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015 ...UPDATED FOR 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION... .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 305 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015 ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN LOOKS TO CONTINUE FOR A LEAST A FEW MORE DAYS...BEFORE DRIER AIR AND WARMER TEMPS MOVE IN FOR THE WEEKEND INTO NEXT WEEK. ELEVATED LIGHT SHOWERS OR SPRINKLES CONTINUE TO FESTER FOR AREAS IN CENTRAL KS...WEST OF INTERSTATE 135 ALONG A MID LEVEL BAROCLINIC ZONE OVER THE TOP OF A QUASI STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY LOCATED GENERALLY ALONG HIGHWAY 56. AS THE HEATING OF THE DAY PROGRESSES...HI-RES SHORT TERM MODEL SOLUTIONS SUGGEST THAT SOME ELEVATED STORMS MAY DEVELOP ACROSS CENTRAL KS ALONG I-70 BUT WILL QUICKLY MOVE EAST INTO NE KS. THE BIGGER CONCERN IS INSTABILITY AND LOW LEVEL MOISTURE TRANSPORT INCREASING ACROSS SW KS LATE THIS AFTERNOON...ALONG A DIFFUSE DRY LINE...EXPECTED TO BE NEAR KDDC. SCATTERED CONVECTION HAS ALREADY DEVELOPED ALONG THIS BOUNDARY WITH THE AFTERNOON HEATING AND A ANOTHER WEAK SHORTWAVE MOVES OUT OF THE ROCKIES INTO THE HIGH PLAINS. EXPECT SOME SEVERE STORMS WEST OF THE FORECAST AREA GIVEN THE VERY UNSTABLE AIRMASS AND BULK SHEAR AROUND 40 KTS. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY PROPAGATE INTO AREAS WEST OF INTERSTATE 135 THIS EVENING. AS THE STORMS MARCH FURTHER EAST...MLCAPE VALUES REMAIN AROUND 2000 J/KG MAY LEAD TO A FEW SEVERE STORMS MAKING IT INTO CENTRAL KS OR POSSIBLY SOUTH CENTRAL KS. PRECIP WATER VALUES AROUND 150% OF NORMAL SUGGESTS SOME AREAS COULD SEE SOME ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINFALL. WITH THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL FROM SLOW MOVING STORMS WILL GO WITH A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR AREAS WEST OF INTERSTATE 135 FOR TONIGHT. SOME UNCERTAINTY AMONG THE HI-RES CONVECTIVE MODELS ON HOW FAR EAST THE CONVECTION WILL MAKE IT TONIGHT. STORMS MAY ACTUALLY OUTRUN THE HIGHER INSTABILITY LATE TONIGHT AS THEY MOVE EAST WITH MOISTURE TRANSPORT STAYING TO THE WEST OF THE CONVECTION. BUT THEY COULD MAKE IT ACROSS MOST OF THE WESTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. SO THINK STORMS WILL DIMINISH AS THEY MAKE IT EAST OF THE KANSAS TURNPIKE LATE TONIGHT OR EARLY THU MORNING. INSTABILITY AXIS LOOKS TO SHIFT OVER THE FORECAST AREA ON THU...AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE MOVES OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND ACROSS THE PLAINS DURING THE DAYTIME HOURS. WITH LOTS OF MOISTURE TRANSPORT AND HIGH PRECIP WATER VALUES. COULD SEE SEVERAL PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA FOR THU. SO HAVE DECIDED TO EXPAND THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR THE WHOLE AREA FOR THU. ALSO COULD SEE SOME STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE STORMS...WITH THE VERY UNSTABLE AIRMASS IN PLACE AND BULK SHEAR AROUND 30-35 KTS. PLAN ON KEEPING THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR FRI AS WELL...AS A VERY UNSTABLE AIRMASS WILL CONTINUE TO LOCATED ACROSS MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA...AS A RATHER SIGNIFICANT COLD FRONT PUSHES SOUTH ACROSS KS FOR FRI AFTERNOON/EVENING. INCREASED CONVERGENCE ALONG THIS BOUNDARY AND A WEAKLY CAPPED ENVIRONMENT WILL LEAD TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG OR AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND MOVING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA FOR LATE FRI AFTERNOON/EVENING. THINK THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WITH THIS FRONT WILL BE ACROSS SOUTHERN KS...AS STORMS TRAIN ACROSS THIS AREA...UNTIL THE FRONT PUSHES INTO THIS AREA. WILL CERTAINLY HAVE TO KEEP AN EYE ON FRI EVENING...AS HEAVY RAINFALL MAY REALLY ENHANCE THE FLASH FLOODING CHANCES DUE TO THE SLOW MOVING NATURE OF THE STORMS. KETCHAM .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 305 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015 THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SLOWLY SOUTH INTO OK EARLY ON SAT...WHICH MAY LEAD TO SOME LINGERING STORMS OVER SE KS FOR SAT MORNING. OTHERWISE EXPECT SOME COOLER DRIER AIR TO MOVE INTO THE PLAINS FOR THE REST OF THE REGION FOR SAT AND THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEKEND. MEDIUM RANGE MODELS SUGGEST A MUCH NEEDED DRYING TREND FOR MOST OF THE PLAINS INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK...AS UPPER RIDGING BUILDS ACROSS THE REGION. INCREASING MID LEVEL TEMPS WILL SUPPORT WARMER TEMPERATURES INTO THE 80S NEXT WEEK. LOTS OF EVAPOTRANSPIRATION WILL LIKELY LEAD TO FAIRLY HUMID CONDITIONS. ANY CONVECTIVE CHANCES LOOK TO REMAIN OVER THE HIGH PLAINS...AS A LEE SIDE TROUGH SETS UP FOR TUE AND WED. KETCHAM && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z THURSDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 636 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015 THE MAIN AVIATION FORECAST CONCERN THROUGHOUT THE NEXT 24 HOURS WILL BE THE CHANCES FOR CONVECTION. THE FIRST CHANCES WILL BE DURING THE LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS MOVING FROM WEST TO EAST. HAVE USED TEMPO GROUPS TO ACCOUNT FOR THESE CHANCES FOR NOW. GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT PRECIPITATION WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. WINDS WILL BE SOUTHEASTERLY TONIGHT AND BECOMING SOUTHERLY DURING THE DAY TOMORROW. THUNDERSTORMS MAY DROP CONDITIONS TO MVFR OR IFR BRIEFLY...BUT DO NOT ANTICIPATE LONGTERM IFR AT THIS POINT IN TIME. MVFR CEILINGS MAY PERSIST LONGER AT SOME TERMINALS. BILLINGS WRIGHT && .HYDROLOGY... ISSUED AT 305 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015 GIVEN THE POTENTIAL FOR 3-4 MORE ROUNDS OF STORMS...WILL GO WITH A FLASH FLOOD WATCH INITIALLY FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KS FOR TONIGHT. PLAN ON EXPANDING THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH THU INTO FRI FOR THE ENTIRE AREA...AS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE. GIVEN THE SATURATED SOILS AND SWOLLEN CREEKS/STREAMS...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED...WITH CONTINUED LOCALIZED RISES POSSIBLE ON AREA RIVERS. KETCHAM && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 66 79 66 79 / 50 50 50 60 HUTCHINSON 64 79 65 79 / 60 50 60 60 NEWTON 64 77 65 77 / 50 50 50 60 ELDORADO 65 79 66 78 / 40 50 50 60 WINFIELD-KWLD 66 78 67 78 / 40 50 50 60 RUSSELL 63 80 63 78 / 70 50 60 50 GREAT BEND 64 78 63 78 / 70 50 60 50 SALINA 65 80 66 79 / 60 50 50 60 MCPHERSON 64 78 65 78 / 60 50 50 60 COFFEYVILLE 66 79 68 78 / 30 50 40 70 CHANUTE 65 79 67 78 / 30 50 40 70 IOLA 64 79 67 77 / 30 50 40 70 PARSONS-KPPF 65 79 68 78 / 30 50 40 70 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING FOR KSZ053-069>072-093>096-098>100. FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING FOR KSZ032-033-047>052- 067-068-082-083-091-092. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 403 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-282115- 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- 403 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT DUE TO THE RECENT HEAVY RAINS...A HANDFUL OF COUNTY AND RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR DETAILS. WHILE AN ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER SOUTHERN KANSAS...THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE MAINLY WEST OF INTERSTATE 135. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY RIVER FLOODING WILL PERSIST THROUGH THURSDAY FOR THE NEOSHO RIVER ACROSS FAR SOUTHEAST KANSAS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR DETAILS. AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY...WITH PERIODIC EPISODES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING THE AREA. THE GREATEST THREAT WITH THIS ACTIVITY WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN...WHICH COULD LEAD TO RENEWED FLOODING CONCERNS. ADDITIONALLY...WHILE ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER APPEARS UNLIKELY...A HANDFUL OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. THOSE WITH OUTDOOR PLANS THROUGH THIS WEEK SHOULD CLOSELY MONITOR THE LATEST WEATHER CONDITIONS...ESPECIALLY THOSE ALONG RIVERS AND STREAMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... STORM SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING...GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE EXTENDING FROM SALINA TO WICHITA TO WELLINGTON. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION...SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/ ADK/KETCHAM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 858 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015 KSZ047-280300- BARTON KS- 858 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... SOUTHERN BARTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 1000 PM CDT * AT 853 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A THUNDERSTORM WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL OVER GREAT BEND AND AREAS JUST WEST OF GREAT BEND...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... GREAT BEND...ELLINWOOD...PAWNEE ROCK...ALBERT...GREAT BEND AIRPORT AND CHEYENNE BOTTOMS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS...SHOULD THE RISK FOR MINOR LOW-LAND FLOODING BECOME MORE IMMINENT. && LAT...LON 3847 9903 3853 9859 3826 9854 3826 9903 TIME...MOT...LOC 0153Z 257DEG 15KT 3836 9882 DARMOFAL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1013 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015
KSZ047-050-280345-
BARTON KS-RICE KS-
1013 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A
* SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
CENTRAL BARTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS...
NORTHWESTERN RICE COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS...
* UNTIL 1045 PM CDT
* AT 1012 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR
GREAT BEND TO 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF RAYMOND...AND MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 20 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS ALONG
WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GREAT BEND...HOISINGTON...ELLINWOOD...CLAFLIN...CHASE...OLMITZ...
RAYMOND...SILICA...ODIN...GREAT BEND AIRPORT AND CHEYENNE BOTTOMS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3858 9897 3857 9852 3854 9848 3852 9848
3852 9846 3839 9829 3817 9846 3817 9847
3826 9847 3826 9873 3839 9900
TIME...MOT...LOC 0312Z 213DEG 16KT 3841 9888 3818 9851
DARMOFALPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1016 PM CDT WED MAY 27 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1015 PM FLOOD GREAT BEND 38.36N 98.81W
05/27/2015 BARTON KS LAW ENFORCEMENT
LOCALIZED FLOODING IN GREAT BEND ON HIGHWAY 56.
&&
JMRThe Dodge City radar (KDDC), 125 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:27 UTC.
4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Twelve to 14 inches of water was reported across the intersection of Hwy 56 and Heitzer Rd.
Several roads had become inundated with water in the far western sections of Great Bend and the rural areas.
Deep water had completely inundated the road making it impassable.
Very heavy rains around 2 inches just outside of Geneseo caused isolated flooding of flat low lying areas. County roads in the area were covered by water.
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, May 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: 588271, 588273, 588274, 588281.