Heavy rainfall occurred across portions of Central Kansas on May 4th, 2015. Rainfall of amounts of 1 to 2 inches caused low land flooding of some county roads and some urban areas.
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.
Heavy rainfall occurred across portions of Central Kansas on May 4th, 2015. Rainfall of amounts of 1 to 2 inches caused low land flooding of some county roads and some urban areas.
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 4, 2:16 PM CST, 3 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 316 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 312 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 DEEP MOIST CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS CENTRAL KS WHERE THE HIGHEST POPS WILL BE MAINTAINED. OTHER MORE ISOLATED DIURNALLY DRIVEN ACTIVITY WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH EARLY EVENING ACROSS SOUTHERN KANSAS. SOME OF THE HIGHER RESOLUTION MODEL GUIDANCE IS SUGGESTING THAT OUTFLOW WILL FORCE THE BOUNDARY FURTHER SOUTH AND TRENDED POPS UP SLIGHTLY ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KS TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS SCENARIO. BY 07-09Z THE WARM FRONT IS EXPECTED TO LIFT NORTH BRINGING AN END TO ANY LINGERING PRECIPITATION. MUCH OF TUESDAY MAY BE DRY BUT MAINTAINED MID POPS ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AS ANY ACTIVITY DEVELOPING ACROSS SW KS MAY DRIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA LATER IN THE DAY AND THE AIRMASS IS PROGGED TO REMAIN WEAKLY CAPPED. BETTER CHANCES FOR MORE WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION WILL ARRIVE LATE TUE NIGHT INTO EARLY WED AS A VIGOROUS SHORTWAVE TROUGH EMERGES OVER THE CENTRAL HIGH PLAINS. THIS WAS HANDLED WELL IN THE PREVIOUS FORECAST AND THE PRIMARY CHANGE WAS TO SLOW POPS WITH THE HIGHEST PROBABILITIES ARRIVING AFTER 06Z ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. WED-THU...THE DEEP LAYER SHEAR IS PROGGED TO INCREASE ON WED AS THE FOCUS FOR DEEP MOIST CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG HWY 281 ALONG A DRYLINE. MAINTAINED MID POPS WED NIGHT INTO THU AS THE AIRMASS IS PROGGED TO REMAIN UNSTABLE WITH A CONTINUATION OF SOUTHWEST MID/UPPER FLOW. TIMING ANY SHORTWAVE TROUGHS LIFTING OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST BECOMES CHALLENGING AT THIS POINT. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 312 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 A MID/UPPER TROUGH OVER THE SOUTHWEST AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD IS PROGGED TO MOVE EAST/NORTHEAST INTO THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL ROCKIES OVER THE WEEKEND. RICH MOISTURE IS PROGGED TO REMAIN ENTRENCHED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL PLAINS STATES WHERE MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF DEEP MOIST CONVECTION ARE EXPECTED LATE IN THE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND. MAINTAINED MID POPS THROUGH MUCH OF THE PERIOD WITH SEASONABLY MILD TEMPERATURES ANTICIPATED. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1233 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS STRONG CONVECTION IS EXPECTED ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONT. IT IS POSSIBLE OUTFLOW FROM THESE STORMS COULD FORCE AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY SOUTH AND FORCE CONVECTION ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS...THOUGH CONFIDENCE IS RELATIVELY LOW ON THIS SCENARIO. OTHERWISE SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL RE-ESTABLISH ITSELF ACROSS ALL AREAS LATER TONIGHT AND INTO TUESDAY MORNING. SOME MVFR CIGS ARE POSSIBLE IN PARTS OF CENTRAL KANSAS...MAINLY NEAR KRSL. KED && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... WICHITA-KICT 63 77 63 77 / 30 20 90 60 HUTCHINSON 62 76 61 77 / 40 20 90 50 NEWTON 61 74 59 73 / 30 10 90 60 ELDORADO 63 79 63 76 / 20 10 90 70 WINFIELD-KWLD 62 77 62 76 / 20 20 90 60 RUSSELL 59 75 59 78 / 60 50 80 50 GREAT BEND 59 73 59 78 / 50 60 80 40 SALINA 60 78 61 77 / 40 20 90 50 MCPHERSON 60 75 60 74 / 40 20 90 50 COFFEYVILLE 60 78 63 74 / 20 20 80 80 CHANUTE 61 79 63 75 / 20 10 70 80 IOLA 62 78 63 73 / 20 10 70 80 PARSONS-KPPF 61 79 63 75 / 20 20 70 80 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 406 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-052115- 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- 406 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE THIS EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS. THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM ANY SEVERE STORM WILL BE HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 60 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE FOR TUESDAY NIGHT AND CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY. STRONG STORMS ARE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY NIGHT WITH DIME SIZE HAIL...GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN THE MAIN CONCERNS. SOME OF THE STORMS ON WEDNESDAY MAY BECOME SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY...WITH EPISODES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE. DUE TO A SLOWLY MOVING STORM SYSTEM AND PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN...FLASH FLOODING AND RIVER FLOODING MAY BECOME A CONCERN LATE IN THE WEEK AND INTO THE WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED ACROSS CENTRAL KANSAS THIS EVENING AND 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 408 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 KSZ047-042145- BARTON KS- 408 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... NORTHWESTERN BARTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 445 PM CDT * AT 407 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR SHAFFER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO EXPECTED. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... HOISINGTON...ALBERT...OLMITZ...GALATIA AND SUSANK. 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. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. && LAT...LON 3868 9903 3870 9866 3843 9869 3832 9903 TIME...MOT...LOC 2107Z 232DEG 22KT 3842 9909 DARMOFAL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 444 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 KSZ047-042215- BARTON KS- 444 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... NORTHERN BARTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 515 PM CDT * AT 443 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR OLMITZ...OR NEAR HOISINGTON... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... HOISINGTON...ALBERT...OLMITZ...GALATIA...SUSANK AND ODIN. 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 3865 9903 3869 9864 3855 9858 3842 9903 TIME...MOT...LOC 2143Z 242DEG 15KT 3857 9886 LAWSON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 509 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 KSZ032-042245- RUSSELL KS- 509 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... SOUTHWESTERN RUSSELL COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 545 PM CDT * AT 508 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR WALKER...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... RUSSELL...GORHAM...MILBERGER AND RUSSELL AIRPORT. 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 3890 9904 3894 9873 3870 9873 3870 9904 TIME...MOT...LOC 2208Z 268DEG 24KT 3880 9908 LAWSON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 513 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 KSZ048-042245- ELLSWORTH KS- 513 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... ELLSWORTH COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 545 PM CDT * AT 512 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ELLSWORTH...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... ELLSWORTH...KANOPOLIS...HOLYROOD...LORRAINE...ELLSWORTH AIRPORT AND KANOPOLIS LAKE. 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 3864 9803 3852 9848 3867 9848 3885 9823 TIME...MOT...LOC 2212Z 215DEG 27KT 3867 9826 LAWSON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 540 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 KSZ033-048-049-042315- SALINE KS-ELLSWORTH KS-LINCOLN KS- 540 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... NORTHWESTERN SALINE COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS... NORTHEASTERN ELLSWORTH COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS... SOUTHEASTERN LINCOLN COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 615 PM CDT * AT 538 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR BROOKVILLE...OR 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF KANOPOLIS...MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... BROOKVILLE AND GLENDALE. 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 3896 9771 3870 9787 3874 9809 3896 9797 TIME...MOT...LOC 2238Z 200DEG 23KT 3879 9796 LAWSON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 546 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 KSZ049-042315- SALINE KS- 546 PM CDT MON MAY 4 2015 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... NORTHEASTERN SALINE COUNTY IN CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 615 PM CDT * AT 544 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTH OF BENNINGTON...OR 8 MILES NORTH OF SALINA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SALINA AND NEW CAMBRIA. 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 3888 9744 3881 9773 3895 9779 3896 9749 TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 231DEG 20KT 3893 9761 LAWSON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Reports of low lying roads being flooded in Ellsworth.
Law enforcement reported street flooding in Great Bend.
The public reported street flooding in Salina.
Law enforcement reported moderate street flooding in low lying areas.
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: 577753, 577754, 577755, 577756.