Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, July 27, 2016

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, July 27, 2016
Start: 2016-07-27T16:44
End: 2016-07-27T17:51
Location: Kansas

July 27, 2016 · NWS DDC · 7 events in 4 counties and zones

An unstable atmosphere in the presence of northwest flow aloft and southeasterly upslope flow at the surface allowed a small MCS to move southeast into the area during the late afternoon.

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: 7

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 unstable atmosphere in the presence of northwest flow aloft and southeasterly upslope flow at the surface allowed a small MCS to move southeast into the area during the late afternoon.

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 27, 1:25 PM CST, 3 hours 19 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 27, 1:25 PM CST, 3 hours 19 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Dodge City KS
225 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

...Updated Long Term...

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Thursday)
Issued at 1245 PM CDT Wed Jul 27 2016

Convective debris from last night's thunderstorms is clearing
nicely this afternoon, with E/SE upslope flow expected to
reestablish by this evening. 12z NAM, and several of the CAMs,
develop thunderstorms in NW KS by 7 pm, with a loosely organized
complex then heading south into the northern CWA this evening.
Surface moisture is quite elevated, with a dewpoint of 70 here at
the office as of noon, with a dewpoint of 70 as far west as
Syracuse. MLCAPE near 2000 J/kg widespread across SW KS already as
of noon. So, instability will be more than sufficient to sustain
another storm complex tonight. Easterly surface winds beneath
modest NW flow aloft should allow for some storm rotation, at
least initially. SPC's broad marginal 5% wind/hail probabilities
through tonight look sufficient for now, but the risk for
marginally severe hail/wind will increase whereever the complex
decides to evolve. Increased thunderstorm coverage in the grids
this evening and tonight, to account for the mesoscale CAM and NAM
solutions. Lows tonight ranging from the mid 60s in Hamilton
county to the lower 70s in Barber county.

Thursday...Overnight convection expected to dissipate by around
sunrise. Most locations dry for most of Thursday again, as
atmosphere again recovers from overnight convective overturning.
Strong 597 dm upper high will remain stationary over the Great
Basin Thursday, allowing NW flow to persist aloft. Synoptic
pattern strongly favors a strong MCS to traverse SW KS, and the
models have been hinting at this for several days now. Shear and
instablity combination will ignite severe thunderstorms across
NW KS by 7 pm Thursday, with a severe MCS expected to track SE
into SW KS Thursday evening. Damaging winds appear likely, and
agree with SPC upgrading to an enhanced severe risk for this
severe wind threat. Outdoor activities Thursday evening will be
impacted by these strong to severe storms, including Dodge City
Days festivities. Will begin social media and DSS coverage of this
expected MCS to begin spreading the word.

.LONG TERM...(Thursday night through Wednesday)
Issued at 225 PM CDT Wed Jul 27 2016

Large mesoscale convective system (MCS) expected to be ongoing
across Kansas early Friday morning. Most models including the
12z ECMWF redevelop convection across SW KS Friday afternoon, but
mesoscale details on how outflow boundaries will interact is
unknown. If atmophere can recover by Friday evening, marginally
severe wind/hail is possible, but uncertainty is high. Confident of
cooler temperatures on Friday, with convective debris clouds and an
east component to surface winds holding most locales in the 80s.

Saturday through Monday...The trend will be for afternoons to get
progressively hotter, and for rain chances to dwindle, as high
pressure aloft spreads east into the central plains. Heights and
850 mb temperatures climb daily, with afternoon temperatures
ending up near 100 Monday August 1st.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Thursday afternoon)
Issued at 1200 PM CDT Wed Jul 27 2016

VFR this afternoon with scattered clouds and a prevailing SE wind
at 10-15 kts. Scattered thunderstorms expected to increase in
coverage this evening, with 12z NAM/GFS both forecasting a
convective complex near HYS by 03z Thu, and near DDC/GCK by 06z
Thu. Added convective TEMPO groups for GCK/HYS for the 03-07z time
frame, where confidence is highest for convective impacts. Some
of these storms will be strong, producing outflow wind gusts to
near 45 kts and temporary IFR in cigs/heavy rain. Models agree
thunderstorms will end by 12z Thu.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DDC  69  92  67  86 /  40  20  70  30
GCK  66  92  66  86 /  40  20  70  20
EHA  67  96  66  93 /  20  10  30  20
LBL  69  97  69  92 /  20  10  30  30
HYS  67  89  66  84 /  50  30  60  30
P28  72  95  70  87 /  20  20  60  30

&&

.DDC Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...Turner
LONG TERM...Turner
AVIATION...Turner

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 27, 1:42 PM CST, 3 hours 2 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
242 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

KSZ030-031-043>046-061>066-074>081-084>090-281945-
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-
242 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016 /142 PM MDT WED JUL 27 2016/

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ACROSS NORTHERN COUNTIES THIS
AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE MARGINALLY
SEVERE WIND TO 60 MPH AND MARGINALLY SEVERE HAIL TO THE SIZE OF
QUARTERS. THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE SOUTHWARD OVERNIGHT BEFORE
WEAKENING BY THURSDAY MORNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

A LARGE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT SW KANSAS
THURSDAY EVENING AND THURSDAY NIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE, WITH DAMAGING WINDS TO NEAR 70 MPH
BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT. LOCALLY VERY HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO
EXPECTED THURSDAY EVENING AND THURSDAY NIGHT.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

LIMITED SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THURSDAY EVENING AND THURSDAY NIGHT.

&&

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT OUR WEBPAGE AT HTTP://WEATHER.GOV/DDC

TURNER

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 27, 3:11 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
411 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

KSZ045-272215-
NESS KS-
411 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN TREGO AND
NORTHWESTERN NESS COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM CDT...

AT 411 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR
ARNOLD...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.

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

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
UTICA AND ARNOLD.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 3849 9991 3849 10021 3869 10021 3870 9996
TIME...MOT...LOC 2111Z 353DEG 10KT 3864 10010

SUGDEN

Special weather statement, Jul 27, 3:16 PM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
416 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

KSZ062-063-272215-
FINNEY KS-KEARNY KS-
416 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WEST CENTRAL FINNEY AND
SOUTHEASTERN KEARNY COUNTIES UNTIL 515 PM CDT...

AT 416 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7
MILES NORTHWEST OF DEERFIELD...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH.

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

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LAKIN AND DEERFIELD.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 3811 10136 3813 10113 3790 10104 3785 10136
TIME...MOT...LOC 2116Z 353DEG 10KT 3805 10124

SUGDEN

Special weather statement, Jul 27, 4:14 PM CST, 30 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
514 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

KSZ062-063-075-076-272315-
FINNEY KS-GRANT KS-KEARNY KS-HASKELL KS-
514 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN FINNEY...
SOUTHEASTERN KEARNY...NORTHEASTERN GRANT AND NORTHWESTERN HASKELL
COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM CDT...

AT 513 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8
MILES SOUTH OF LAKIN...MOVING SOUTH AT 15 MPH.

DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH
THIS STORM.

THIS STORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF SOUTHWESTERN
FINNEY...SOUTHEASTERN KEARNY...NORTHEASTERN GRANT AND NORTHWESTERN
HASKELL COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.

THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO
STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

&&

LAT...LON 3785 10134 3789 10110 3772 10093 3762 10112
      3766 10134
TIME...MOT...LOC 2213Z 000DEG 13KT 3782 10122

SUGDEN

Special weather statement, Jul 27, 4:40 PM CST, 4 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DODGE CITY KS
540 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

KSZ078-272345-
FORD KS-
540 PM CDT WED JUL 27 2016

...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL FORD COUNTY UNTIL 645 PM
CDT...

AT 540 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM VERY
NEAR FT. DODGE...MOVING SOUTH AT 20 MPH.

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

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DODGE CITY...BUCKLIN...SPEARVILLE...FORD...FT. DODGE AND WRIGHT.

LAT...LON 3779 10011 3786 9971 3756 9956 3755 9956
      3750 10012
TIME...MOT...LOC 2240Z 005DEG 17KT 3775 9994

SUGDEN

The radar

The Dodge City radar (KDDC), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:46 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Grant

When: July 27, 4:44 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 3.02 mi NE of Columbian Carbon
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.560, -101.160

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: July 27, 4:44 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 3.02 mi NE of Columbian Carbon
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.560, -101.160

A tree was blown down and larger tree limbs on other trees were broken by the high wind.

Hail, Scott

When: July 27, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Scott County, 8.57 mi NNW of Manning
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.670, -100.760

Most of the hail was a little smaller.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: July 27, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Grant County, 2.3 mi ESE of Columbian Carbon
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.520, -101.160

The visibility in blowing dust was down to about 100 yards for a short time.

Thunderstorm Wind, Stevens

When: July 27, 5:25 PM CST
Where: Stevens County, 6.04 mi SE of Moscow
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 37.270, -101.120

Three inch diameter tree limbs were broken by the high wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Seward

When: July 27, 5:49 PM CST
Where: Seward County, 8.19 mi NW of Hayne
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.170, -100.920

Winds were estimated to be 60 to 70 MPH.

Hail, Stevens

When: July 27, 5:51 PM CST
Where: Stevens County, 0.55 mi E of Woods
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 37.170, -101.090

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 2016 Every state in 2016 This day in weather history Warnings in Kansas, July 2016

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: 653182, 653186, 653183, 653189, 653187, 653190, 653184.