A decently unstable air mass with a weak mid-level capping inversion offset weak lower deck convergence to pop a few diurnally-driven thunderstorms in parts of South-Central and Southeast Kansas late in the afternoon. With a relatively dry lower air mass, damaging winds were the primary threat and definitely materialized, especially in Chautauqua County where 56 knot/65 mph winds caused…
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 decently unstable air mass with a weak mid-level capping inversion offset weak lower deck convergence to pop a few diurnally-driven thunderstorms in parts of South-Central and Southeast Kansas late in the afternoon. With a relatively dry lower air mass, damaging winds were the primary threat and definitely materialized, especially in Chautauqua County where 56 knot/65 mph winds caused significant property damage.
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 Jun 30, 2:35 PM CST, 44 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 335 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2016 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday night) Issued at 327 PM CDT Thu Jun 30 2016 Tonight-Friday: Convective trends will be the big issue. Barely capped, decently unstable and weakly forced atmosphere will result in isolated to scattered thunderstorms through sunset across southern half of forecast area. A few strong-marginally severe storms are possible. With loss of heating, expect storms to wane quickly at sunset. Storms will increase late tonight as 850MB flow increases, along with increasing 850MB-700MB frontogenesis and convergence. Expect fairly widespread rain spreading across the area towards daybreak as Western KS storms move/develop eastward. Good chance that rain/storms will linger well into the afternoon in the east. Temperatures rather tricky tomorrow with much depending on how quickly rain/clouds exit. Friday night-Sunday: Considerable uncertainty throughout this period, with model verification of MCS tracks poor over the past week or so, and not optimistic that today's runs are any better. That said, will likely be a baroclinic zone somewhere across KS with potential for multiple rounds of strong storms producing copious rainfall somewhere in the state. By the weekend precipitable water over 2 inch is forecast by both NAM/GFS. Given uncertainty of timing/ location of heavy rain, will not hoist flood watch at this time but will mention heavy rain in hazardous weather outlook. Temperatures also a big unknown, with temperatures likely only in the 70s in areas where clouds/rain persist throughout the day. Southern sections may see fair amount of Sunday and hedged temperatures warmer there. One significant caveat, if storms/ rain shield is large/robust, effective front could push closer to the OK border, resulting in heavy rain shifting further south than currently anticipated. Best chance of precipitation appears late Saturday into Sunday as shortwave moves across the area. -Howerton .LONG TERM...(Monday through Thursday) Issued at 327 PM CDT Thu Jun 30 2016 Little changes made to initialization grids. Initial zonal flow transitions to more ridging by end of period. This will result in warming temperatures and decreasing chances for precipitation. -Howerton && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon) Issued at 1242 PM CDT Thu Jun 30 2016 Cannot rule out a few isolated thunderstorms mid/late this afternoon and evening over southern KS along a stalling frontal zone. Suspect activity will be fairly isolated given marginal convergence and little upper support. Given this fact, left mention out of Wichita and Chanute TAFs. Better chances for showers and thunderstorms arrive late tonight and especially Friday, as the stalled frontal zone sharpens across the region and shortwave energy begins to approach from the west. Given uncertainty on timing and location of precipitation, only inserted VCSH instead of VCTS at all sites for now. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 70 85 68 90 / 30 50 40 40 Hutchinson 68 82 66 85 / 40 50 50 50 Newton 68 82 65 85 / 30 50 50 50 ElDorado 69 82 67 89 / 20 50 50 40 Winfield-KWLD 71 87 70 94 / 30 50 30 30 Russell 66 80 62 79 / 50 50 60 60 Great Bend 67 81 64 83 / 50 50 60 50 Salina 68 82 64 83 / 30 50 60 60 McPherson 67 81 64 84 / 40 50 60 60 Coffeyville 71 85 69 93 / 20 50 30 20 Chanute 70 83 67 89 / 30 50 50 40 Iola 69 82 66 87 / 20 50 50 50 Parsons-KPPF 70 84 69 91 / 20 50 40 30 && .ICT Watches/Warnings/Advisories... None. && SHORT TERM...PJH LONG TERM...PJH AVIATION...ADK
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 947 AM CDT THU JUN 30 2016 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-011500- 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- 947 AM CDT THU JUN 30 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS, SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING OVER FAR SOUTHEAST KANSAS. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS WILL ACCOMPANY THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY. FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...SOUTH-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS WILL HAVE A CHANCE FOR ADDITIONAL ISOLATED TO WIDELY SCATTERED STORMS. WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...THE STRONGER STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 50 TO 60 MPH WINDS...DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL ALONG WITH BRIEF LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME MORE NUMEROUS TONIGHT ACROSS WEST-CENTRAL KANSAS AND SPREAD EAST AND SOUTHEAST OVERNIGHT. ONCE AGAIN...WHILE WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...THE STRONGEST ACTIVITY WILL BE CAPABLE OF 50 TO 60 MPH WINDS AND DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL...ESPECIALLY BEFORE MIDNIGHT. FURTHERMORE...THE POTENTIAL FOR HIGH RAINFALL RATES MAY CONTRIBUTE TO SOME LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SEVERAL ROUNDS OF STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THE FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING TIME FRAME. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE HIGH RAINFALL RATES THAT MAY CAUSE FLOODING. WHILE MUCH OF THE AREA WILL RECEIVE SUBSTANTIAL RAINFALL...THE HIGHEST RAINFALL AMOUNTS LOOK TO OCCUR NORTH OF HIGHWAY 400. IN ADDITION TO THE FLOODING THREAT...50 MPH WINDS AND SMALL HAIL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THOSE WITH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR THE FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING TIME FRAME SHOULD CONTINUE TO CHECK BACK FOR UPDATED FORECASTS AND OUTLOOKS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED TODAY OR 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 212 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2016 KSZ083-301945- SEDGWICK KS- 212 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2016 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... SOUTHWESTERN SEDGWICK COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 245 PM CDT * AT 210 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER GODDARD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... WICHITA...HAYSVILLE...GODDARD...CLEARWATER...GARDEN PLAIN... VIOLA AND LAKE AFTON. 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 3766 9771 3773 9752 3748 9731 3748 9764 TIME...MOT...LOC 1910Z 325DEG 12KT 3762 9757 KLEINSASSER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 305 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2016 KSZ094-302030- ELK KS- 305 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2016 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... EASTERN ELK COUNTY IN SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS... * UNTIL 330 PM CDT * AT 304 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HOWARD...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... HOWARD...LONGTON AND ELK FALLS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE. && LAT...LON 3751 9632 3760 9612 3740 9597 3731 9621 TIME...MOT...LOC 2004Z 331DEG 14KT 3749 9618 KETCHAM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
315 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2016
KSZ069-093-302115-
BUTLER KS-COWLEY KS-
315 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2016
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A
* SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR...
SOUTHERN BUTLER COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS...
NORTHEASTERN COWLEY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS...
* UNTIL 415 PM CDT
* AT 313 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGISTS WERE
TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF ATLANTA...OR 9
MILES EAST OF DOUGLASS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS...AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH WILL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
DOUGLASS...ATLANTA...LATHAM...ROCK AND WINFIELD CITY LAKE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE.
&&
LAT...LON 3758 9712 3764 9653 3745 9652 3736 9653
3734 9695
TIME...MOT...LOC 2013Z 330DEG 14KT 3752 9684
KETCHAMSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 415 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2016 KSZ092-302200- SUMNER KS- 415 PM CDT THU JUN 30 2016 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A * SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR... SUMNER COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS... * UNTIL 500 PM CDT * AT 415 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WELLINGTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... WELLINGTON...CALDWELL...OXFORD...ARGONIA...SOUTH HAVEN... GEUDA SPRINGS...MAYFIELD...MILAN...HUNNEWELL... PERTH AND WELLINGTON AIRPORT. 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 3700 9780 3734 9780 3735 9715 3700 9715 TIME...MOT...LOC 2115Z 300DEG 4KT 3719 9746 METZGER
The Wichita radar (KICT), 43 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:18 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Estimated 43 to 52 kt winds downed 4-inch diameter limbs near the courthouse.
Five to six inch diameter limbs were reported down all over town. This was a delayed report.
The public reported, via Twitter, that quarter-sized hail occurred in town. The report was relayed by KAKE Channel 10.
The east side door of a fire barn was pushed in 12 to 18 inches. The time of the event was based on radar and previous reports. The time of event was corrected.
A mobile home roof was peeled off by winds that were estimated from 52-56 knots. The event occurred on the south/southwest side of town. This was a delayed report.
Multiple 5 to 8 inch diameter limbs were downed by winds that were estimated from 52 to 56 kts. This was a delayed report.
No damage was reported. Occurred with pea-sized hail.
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, June 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: 640322, 640325, 640319, 640323, 640326, 640328, 640330.