Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed just to the south of a warm frontal boundary across most of Southern Kansas. The unstable airmass produced numerous supercell thunderstorms that predominately produced damaging winds and localized flooding.
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.
Numerous showers and thunderstorms developed just to the south of a warm frontal boundary across most of Southern Kansas. The unstable airmass produced numerous supercell thunderstorms that predominately produced damaging winds and localized flooding.
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 2, 12:41 PM CST, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 141 PM CDT SAT JUL 2 2016 .UPDATE... Issued at 130 PM CDT Sat Jul 2 2016 Diminishing precipitation after the morning activity led to an update of the chances for precipitation with only scattered activity remaining. The previous trend of another round of initiation is still anticipated later in the afternoon and evening. Current observations showed a delay in the rise of the temperatures which caused an adjustment of the hourly temperatures; however, high temperatures remain the same. It is possible given the current moisture and potential instability with the reach of convective temperatures that the later thunderstorm activity could be severe for south central Kansas with quarter sized hail and 60 mph winds possible. && .SHORT TERM...(Today through Monday night) Issued at 311 AM CDT Sat Jul 2 2016 Ongoing mcs cluster with torrential rainfall rates will continue to propagate eastward at 30 mph across south central and southeast Kansas early this morning. This mcs complex is feeding on strong moisture transport via a 45 knot southerly low-level jet. A precipitable water axis of 1.75 to 2 inches is oriented along and downstream of this mcs, thus very heavy rainfall rates and localized flooding or flash flooding will be possible until it exits the region to the east-northeast later this morning. Will expand Flash Flood Watch southward 1 more row of counties. By midday today, the nam and gfs indicate the a surface low over northwestern Kansas, with a warm front draped southeast from the low across central into southeast Kansas. A lee trough axis will extend southwest of the low into southwestern Kansas. High temperatures will be very uncertain depending on how far north the actual warm front makes it, and effects of outflow from this mcs. Will show a contrast of lower 80s near the warm front, to the mid 90s near the Oklahoma border. A shortwave trough will eject eastward out of Colorado across Kansas late this afternoon into Sunday. Surface convergence along the aforementioned surface low, warm front, and surface trough axis and enhanced upper ascent from the approaching wave, should allow strong thunderstorms to redevelop mid-late afternoon. As the wave continues to traverse slowly eastward tonight, another nocturnal moderately strong, southerly low-level jet will develop, allowing storms over northern/western Kansas to expand in coverage into a potentially large storm complex...which will have a slow east- southeastward propagation through the forecast area. Storm training with intense, potentially excessive hourly rainfall rates, will be possible with a slowly veering low-level jet becoming more aligned with the southward advancing cold front. It is possible that the Flash Flood Watch will be modified by later shifts if the focus area shifts from current expectations but otherwise, will maintain the Flash Flood Watch through 12z Sunday for now. High chances for thunderstorms will linger in southeastern Kansas Sunday into Sunday night, as the slow-moving cold front interacts with an anomalously moist, unstable airmass. Locally heavy rainfall could accompany these storms. Cooler than normal air will begin infiltrating the forecast area Sunday into Monday behind the front. The forecast outlook for Monday evening is presently dry with relatively light southeasterly winds of 5 to 10 mph. .LONG TERM...(Tuesday through Friday) Issued at 311 AM CDT Sat Jul 2 2016 Broad, flat mid-upper ridging will prevail across the southern tier states, with a belt of mid-upper level westerlies across the northern tier states. 850-700 mb temperatures are progged to climb toward mid-late week over Kansas, which will lead to above normal temperatures for the forecast area. Any rain chances are very slight (15-20%) perhaps Tuesday and again toward the end of the week. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Sunday afternoon) Issued at 1253 PM CDT Sat Jul 2 2016 This is certainly a messy forecast with the arrival of the upper trough, residual moisture, and expected precipitation. A lull will remain in the precipitation activity for the next few hours; however, showers and thunderstorms will re-develop around 21-01z. While the activity may start as scattered, it is expected to become more widespread. Potential persistence in thunderstorms and uncertainty on their longevity challenged longer periods of TSRA for south central Kansas, but flight categories may go from MVFR and drop to IFR with the stronger activity. It is likely that this will be modified and shortened with the next forecast. Winds will transition with the movement of the front from southeast to the west. Models are hinting at IFR if not LIFR cloud cover on the back side for KRSL and KSLN closer to 12z after the showers and storms exit. A downward trend of precipitation can be found at the back end of the forecast for all but KCNU. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 88 70 80 63 / 70 80 40 10 Hutchinson 85 67 79 62 / 80 80 30 10 Newton 85 68 79 61 / 90 80 40 10 ElDorado 88 69 79 62 / 90 80 60 20 Winfield-KWLD 94 72 84 63 / 40 80 60 30 Russell 81 62 77 61 / 80 70 20 10 Great Bend 84 64 78 61 / 70 80 20 10 Salina 84 65 77 61 / 90 80 30 10 McPherson 84 65 78 61 / 90 80 30 10 Coffeyville 93 74 86 64 / 40 70 80 60 Chanute 89 72 82 63 / 70 70 70 50 Iola 86 70 81 63 / 80 80 70 40 Parsons-KPPF 91 73 85 64 / 60 70 70 60 && .ICT Watches/Warnings/Advisories... Flash Flood Watch through Sunday morning for KSZ047>053-067>072- 082-083. && UPDATE...VJP SHORT TERM...JMC LONG TERM...JMC AVIATION...VJP
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 1252 PM CDT SAT JUL 2 2016 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-031800- 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- 1252 PM CDT SAT JUL 2 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS, SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT LOCALIZED FLOODING IS OCCURRING IN BARTON...RICE AND MCPHERSON COUNTIES AFTER 3 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN OVERNIGHT. CHECK THE LATESTFLOOD WARNINGS FOR MORE INFORMATION. SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHWESTERN KANSAS. ISOLATED WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 60 MPH AND HAIL OF QUARTER SIZE WILL BE POSSIBLE...ALONG WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MERGE INTO A LARGER STORM COMPLEX TONIGHT...TRACKING EAST SOUTHEASTWARD ACROSS CENTRAL...SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL RATES...FLASH FLOODING AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM COMPLEX. PLEASE REFER TO THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL LINGER SUNDAY INTO SUNDAY NIGHT...MAINLY EAST OF THE KANSAS TURNPIKE. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL BE POSSIBLE. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO CLIMB ABOVE NORMAL TOWARD MID TO LATE NEXT WEEK. COMBINED WITH MODERATE TO HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS...HEAT INDICES OF 100 TO 105 DEGREES WILL BE QUITE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING TO MONITOR STORMS IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS FOR WIND OR HAIL. ALSO REPORTS OF MEASURED RAINFALL AMOUNTS GREATER THAN 1 INCH FROM THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING ACTIVITY WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. && FOR A GRAPHICAL VERSION OF THIS INFORMATION, SEE OUR WEBPAGE AT: HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/WICHITA/HWO/
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
1046 AM CDT SAT JUL 02 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN HILLSBORO 38.35N 97.20W
07/02/2016 M3.70 INCH MARION KS COCORAHS
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 3 ESE WINDOM 38.37N 97.86W
07/02/2016 M4.10 INCH MCPHERSON KS COCORAHS
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 NW GOESSEL 38.27N 97.37W
07/02/2016 M3.48 INCH MARION KS CO-OP OBSERVER
IN THE LAST 24 HOURS
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 NW HUTCHINSON 38.09N 97.94W
07/02/2016 M3.08 INCH RENO KS COCORAHS
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 1 NE GALVA 38.39N 97.52W
07/02/2016 M3.13 INCH MCPHERSON KS COCORAHS
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 2 ENE GREAT BEND 38.37N 98.77W
07/02/2016 M3.08 INCH BARTON KS COCORAHS
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 6 WSW MCPHERSON 38.34N 97.76W
07/02/2016 M3.21 INCH MCPHERSON KS COCORAHS
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN 8 SW HILLSBORO 38.27N 97.31W
07/02/2016 M3.44 INCH MARION KS COCORAHS
0900 AM HEAVY RAIN LYONS 38.35N 98.20W
07/02/2016 M3.00 INCH RICE KS EMERGENCY MNGR
0900 AM HEAVY RAIN STERLING 38.21N 98.21W
07/02/2016 M3.10 INCH RICE KS EMERGENCY MNGR
RAINFALL TOTAL FROM 11 LAST NIGHT THRU 9 THIS MORNING.
1000 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 NW LYONS 38.39N 98.25W
07/02/2016 M4.30 INCH RICE KS TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED TO KWCH THAT 4.3 INCHES OF RAIN
HAS FALLEN SO FAR.
1000 AM HEAVY RAIN 5 N LITTLE RIVER 38.47N 98.01W
07/02/2016 E5.00 INCH RICE KS PUBLIC
FARMER REPORTS TO EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OF AN ESTIMATED 5
INCHES IF NOT OVER THAT AMOUNT SINCE LAST NIGHT.
&&
VJPThe Wichita radar (KICT), 82 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:16 UTC.
15 thunderstorm wind, 11 flash flood, 9 flood, 5 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Various roads remained either fully or partially submerged across the southern half of the county.
Relayed via social media.
The report was relayed via twitter from Kfdi news.
Multiple large trees were snapped and uprooted across town. A fireworks tent was also collapsed.
A trained spotter reported the gust.
Water was reported over roadways as 2.25 inches of rainfall fell.
A fireworks tent was destroyed by thunderstorm winds.
Estimated 60 to 70 mph winds occurred in town.
Water was flowing over East 53rd Street. Water was also flowing up to the guard rails of a bridge crossing a small creek.
Law enforcement reported a couple of impassible roads due to high water south of Highway 254 along Butler road.
A citizen reported the exit ramp of westbound Highway 254 and Woodlawn was flooded.
A trained spotter estimated the gust.
An outbuilding was destroyed along with a camper and residential propane tank rolled. Numerous 6 to 8 inch tree limbs were also down. .
Water was over the road at K96 and Hydraulic Road.
Major street flooding on city streets with some streets impassable.
A brief cone tornado was reported and verified via Twitter.
Significant flooding occurred in town. Multiple homes and barns were impacted including fields and water crossings. Rainfall amounts of 7 to 9 inches were reported.
Multiple locations in town reported 60 mph winds.
Street flooding was reported across Great Bend.
A handful of hangers and buildings on the base sustained roof damage. The strong winds moved a Boeing 737 and a KC-135 a few feet.
Street flooding was reported across Rose Hill.
The emergency manager estimated the gust.
The emergency manager estimated 60 to 70 mph winds.
Significant street flooding occurred in town, as 1.6 inches of rainfall fell in a short time.
Water was reported over 5th street between Rainbow and Shawnee.
A storm chaser reported water a foot deep over the road.
Multiple streets were flooded across town.
Multiple streets were flooded across town.
Water was reported over county roads just east of Augusta and north of Highway 400.
Street flooding was reported in Newton, Halstead and Hesston.
Rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches over a 2 hour period, led to numerous stalled vehicles and stranded motorists across the city.
Cheney Fire department reported 1 to 2 feet of water flowing over 375th Street West.
A vehicle was swept off the road into the waterway at 47th Street south and Greenwich Road. A water rescue occurred with 3 persons rescued.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kansas, 2016Warnings in Kansas, July 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: 651922, 647990, 647991, 647992, 647994, 647995, 651923, 647996, 647997, 651919, 651920, 651921, 647999, 648001, 650400, 650401, 652893, 648024, 648025, 648026, 648027, 650402, 648029, 653953, 648030, 648031, 648032, 648033, 653954, 650386, 650387, 650395, 650396, 650391, 650393, 650394, 653955, 653956, 650824, 650825, and more.