A couple of severe thunderstorms hit Sedgwick, Butler, and Greenwood counties from late in the afternoon until early in the evening on the 24th. A few areas were hit by 60 to 70 mph winds that caused tree damage in each county.
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.
A couple of severe thunderstorms hit Sedgwick, Butler, and Greenwood counties from late in the afternoon until early in the evening on the 24th. A few areas were hit by 60 to 70 mph winds that caused tree damage in each county.
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 Aug 24, 2:44 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 344 PM CDT WED AUG 24 2016 .SYNOPSIS... Issued at 338 PM CDT Wed Aug 24 2016 The central United States trough maintains with the main wrapped up low pressure system across southern Saskatchewan into the Dakotas with external extents staying along the Rockies. High pressure over the Southeast maintains its dominance resulting in persistent southwest flow for the rest of the week in the Central Plains. A cold front stretching from northern Missouri to southeast Nebraska into central and southwest Kansas is expected to help initiate showers and thunderstorms along it this evening. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Saturday night) Issued at 338 PM CDT Wed Aug 24 2016 Primary focus - Precipitation specifically heavy rain potential tonight and tomorrow night depending on the activity associated with the frontal boundary. Flooding could be a great concern the next couple of days depending on the evolution of the activity. Morning elevated activity has diminished leading to a clearing in the clouds for diurnal heating to set the stage for the southeast moving cold front; the merger with an outflow boundary from the morning activity very well could lead to convective development. This front is certainly not off to the races which begs the question of potential training for areas of central and northeast Kansas. CIN persists in central Kansas this afternoon following the morning activity. MUCAPE has increased to around 2000 J/kg across south central Kansas with 40 to 50kts of effective bulk shear based on the latest meso analysis. This instability could initiate severe thunderstorms this evening with quarter sized hail and 60mph winds possible. Right now widespread severe storms are not expected. Composite reflectivity model simulations indicate development around 0z for south central Kansas. The trough over the central CONUS and high in the Southeast are keeping a southwest flow regime for the Plains with the faucet of moisture remaining in the on position for the rest of this week. Precipitable water values of 1.5 to 2 are forecast for this timeframe leaving ample available moisture. Given the thunderstorms across McPherson, Marion and Harvey counties from a few days ago that generated over two inches, this would be the area with greatest flooding likelihood highlighted with over four inches for the next five days from Hutchinson to Emporia to the Kansas City vicinity by HPC. Areas further north and southwest have not received the rain in the last ten days or even the month of August in some cases; this would aid in a diminished flooding threat at least initially beyond the high rainfall rates in a short period of time due to any thunderstorms with minimal movement or training. Since the models are suggesting that northeast Kansas into the KC metro will be the target for heavier rainfall tonight while questions loom in spread and persistence of activity further southwest tonight, it is difficult to jump on board with any flood headlines. Thus the thought is to wait to see how things evolve this evening to see if one would warranted in the next forecast issuance or even an update before then. Precipitation chances were tweaked to account for latest guidance, but it is still a toss up due to the uncertainty in frontal movement and potential outflow influence. Therefore repeated chances of thunderstorms exist for the short term. .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Wednesday) Issued at 338 PM CDT Wed Aug 24 2016 The high pressure system over the Southeast will spread to cover the eastern half of the CONUS for the weekend. There is a trough that will strengthen and move down from Hudson Bay while remaining in Canada which will only squish the high. A ridge is anticipated for this part of the country for the first part of the week which means consistent temperatures for the latter periods. ECMWF has brought in a tightly wrapped tropical system with a track across the Gulf which has varied between runs. The GFS has started to hint at something similar. This certainly peaks the interest meter given the strength at such a point in the forecast. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon) Issued at 1255 PM CDT Wed Aug 24 2016 Scattered to numerous strong to severe convection is expected to develop along a cold front late this afternoon and early evening over south central Kansas and the Flint Hills. Storms will fester along the front expanding a bit into southeast Kansas and eventually develop behind the front across central Kansas tonight. While mainly VFR conditions will prevail through this evening away from any storms, some MVFR CIGS are expected to develop behind the front across central Kansas overnight. KED && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 69 83 66 84 / 60 60 70 30 Hutchinson 66 79 63 82 / 70 60 60 40 Newton 67 80 64 82 / 70 60 70 30 ElDorado 68 83 65 84 / 60 60 60 40 Winfield-KWLD 70 88 67 87 / 50 50 50 30 Russell 62 75 61 78 / 60 50 50 40 Great Bend 63 75 61 80 / 60 50 60 40 Salina 66 76 63 81 / 70 50 60 40 McPherson 66 78 63 81 / 80 60 60 40 Coffeyville 72 92 69 87 / 20 40 50 30 Chanute 70 87 67 85 / 40 50 50 30 Iola 69 86 66 84 / 50 60 60 30 Parsons-KPPF 71 90 68 86 / 30 40 50 30 && .ICT Watches/Warnings/Advisories... None. && SYNOPSIS...VJP SHORT TERM...VJP LONG TERM...VJP AVIATION...KED
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 421 PM CDT WED AUG 24 2016 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-252130- 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- 421 PM CDT WED AUG 24 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS, SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL POSSIBLY DEVELOP THIS EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL TO SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND INTO THE FLINT HILLS. THE MAIN SEVERE RISKS WILL BE LARGE HAIL UP TO GOLF BALL SIZE AND DAMAGING WINDS TO 70 MPH. ANY STORM WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF VERY HEAVY RAINFALL RATES WITH FLOODING POSSIBLE. OVERNIGHT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS THE STATE WILL HAVE PRIMARILY LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NUMEROUS CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FOR LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF HIGHWAY 54/400. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS MAY ACCOMPANY THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY EARLY ON...WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT TRANSITIONING TO VERY HEAVY RAIN AND LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. PLEASE MONITOR THE UPCOMING FORECASTS CLOSELY AS AREAL FLOOD WARNINGS AND RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS MAY BE NEEDED BY THURSDAY. OFF AND ON STORM CHANCES COULD LINGER FROM FRIDAY THROUGH AT LEAST EARLY NEXT WEEK. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE THE MAIN CONCERN, BUT A FEW STRONG STORMS CANNOT BE BE RULED OUT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION, SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 459 PM CDT WED AUG 24 2016 KSZ069-242230- BUTLER KS- 459 PM CDT WED AUG 24 2016 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... CENTRAL BUTLER COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 530 PM CDT * AT 457 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER AUGUSTA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH TORRENTIAL RAINFALL. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... EL DORADO...AUGUSTA...LEON...ROSALIA...EL DORADO STATE PARK... EL DORADO LAKE AND EL DORADO AIRPORT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE...OR A WARNING IS ISSUES BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. && A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. LAT...LON 3762 9703 3795 9684 3782 9653 3758 9695 TIME...MOT...LOC 2158Z 222DEG 34KT 3767 9694 KLEINSASSER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 511 PM CDT WED AUG 24 2016 KSZ083-242245- SEDGWICK KS- 511 PM CDT WED AUG 24 2016 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... NORTHEASTERN SEDGWICK COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 545 PM CDT * AT 508 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER DOWNTOWN WICHITA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. * PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... WICHITA...DERBY...ANDOVER...HAYSVILLE...PARK CITY... VALLEY CENTER...BEL AIRE...ROSE HILL...DOWNTOWN WICHITA...KECHI... EASTBOROUGH...MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE...SOUTH WICHITA... NORTHEAST WICHITA...EISENHOWER NATIONAL AIRPORT...EAST WICHITA... JABARA AIRPORT AND OAKLAWN. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IN THE EVENT THE STORMS INTENSIFY AND BECOME SEVERE...OR A WARNING IS ISSUES BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. && A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS. LAT...LON 3761 9751 3791 9731 3791 9715 3755 9715 TIME...MOT...LOC 2210Z 218DEG 28KT 3765 9733 KLEINSASSER
The Wichita radar (KICT), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:14 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A former law enforcement officer reported 4 to 5 inch diameter limbs downed from a microburst near the Meridian/MacArthur Intersection.
A former law enforcement officer estimated 60 to 70 mph winds from a microburst at the Meridian/MacArthur Intersection.
Dispatch reported that a 1.5 foot diameter tree was uprooted in town.
Winds were estimated from 60 to 65 mph.
Nickel-sized hail and some tree damage was reported.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, August 2016
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: 647591, 647593, 647592, 647594, 647595.