Below normal rainfall fell during the month of April. This led to severe drought conditions continuing across most of the area, with extreme drought conditions spreading across most of south central Kansas.
Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Below normal rainfall fell during the month of April. This led to severe drought conditions continuing across most of the area, with extreme drought conditions spreading across most of south central Kansas.
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 Mar 31, 10:36 PM CST, 1 hour 24 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 1136 PM CDT Sat Mar 31 2018 .UPDATE... Issued at 701 PM CDT Sat Mar 31 2018 Made some tweaks to the forecast for Sun morning. After looking at a few things, decided to delay pops across southeast KS until generally after 15z. The biggest change was to insert drizzle and freezing drizzle for southwest portions of the forecast area starting at 12z Sun, which agrees well with what our neighbors have. Confidence isn't that high due to low layers remaining fairly dry initially, but think it's worth a mention. Feel confident though that if any precip occurs across the southern half of the forecast area Sun, it will be in the form of drizzle. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday night) Issued at 308 PM CDT Sat Mar 31 2018 A rather active pattern predominates the region in the short term. The first short wave is moving through the region now and will be bringing northwest flow to the region. Gusty winds are expected through much of the first period and is expected to continue through into the early evening. This northwest flow will bring temperatures tumbling down below normal tonight and tomorrow. Tonight, an upper level disturbance will be coming through and there will be some mid level WAA into Southern Kansas which may allow some spotty precipitation of a wintry mix variety over portions of Southeast and into Central Kansas toward daybreak Sunday. Some of this precip could be in the form of sleet or freezing drizzle. This precipitation is expected to switch over to all rain by the mid to late morning . By they afternoon, the main area of forcing is expected to be moving off to the east so any remaining precipitation is expected to be ending by early afternoon. Regardless of the precip type, any precipitation that occurs, it is expected to be light and little to no accumulation is expected. Monday and Tuesday look to remain near or below normal as the next weather system will be encroaching on the region. Unlike the previous system which came through the region Saturday, this system will not be as cold behind the front but will have stronger winds. The Gulf of Mexico remains cut off so this incoming system will have to rely on its attendant moisture. This lack Gulf moisture will keep the precipitation limited. However, there is plenty of forcing ahead of this system which will allow for some decent chances some showers Monday night which could start as some freezing drizzle or sleet but is expected to transition over to all rain. By Tuesday showers and some thunderstorms will be possible as there will enough shear and instability to support it just ahead of the front. Severe weather looks unlikely though. Behind the front, the pressure and thermal gradient is very tight which will allow some rather strong winds to develop Tuesday afternoon and evening. Metzger .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Saturday) Issued at 308 PM CDT Sat Mar 31 2018 The extended range looks to remain near or below normal for the most part with Thursday looking to be the warmest day with temperature just above normal. Precip chances look like Friday having the best chance but the ECMWF and the GFS do not agree on timing or intensity. Most ensemble models like the GEFS have a very wide spread of solutions with some very wet and others dry. As such, confidence is rather low for precipitation in the extended range at this time. Metzger && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Sunday night) Issued at 1129 PM CDT Sat Mar 31 2018 Aviation concern will be lowering ceilings late tonight into Sun morning. Strong cold front now stretches from southeast MO into central TX. Airmass is very shallow with winds around and above 850mb expected to increase and come around to the south by 12z Sun. This will allow ceilings to lower over OK late tonight and spread north, affecting southern KS around sunrise. At this time, not expecting IFR conditions to affect any of the TAF sites, with KICT-KCNU having the best chance to possibly see some MVFR levels after 15z, but most models are keeping cigs at VFR levels. Band of light snow has started over west-central Nebraska with this area of mid level frontogenesis expected to shift southeast overnight. This may bring some -SN to KSLN around 15z but not expecting anything more than visibilities lowered to 6sm. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 308 PM CDT Sat Mar 31 2018 High winds over the region today will keep the fire danger in the very high category until the late evening hours. Lighter winds and lower temperatures Sunday will diminish the fire danger. By Monday and Tuesday, the winds will pick back up and the fire danger will once again get into the very high category with a few extreme areas possible in South, Southeast Kansas and portions of the Flint Hills. Metzger && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 32 36 27 56 / 10 10 0 10 Hutchinson 30 36 25 55 / 10 10 0 10 Newton 29 36 24 52 / 10 20 0 10 ElDorado 30 36 26 52 / 10 20 10 20 Winfield-KWLD 32 36 27 56 / 10 10 10 20 Russell 27 38 23 61 / 20 20 0 0 Great Bend 28 38 24 60 / 10 10 0 0 Salina 28 36 23 54 / 10 30 0 10 McPherson 29 36 23 53 / 10 20 0 10 Coffeyville 32 37 31 49 / 10 30 20 40 Chanute 31 36 28 49 / 10 30 10 40 Iola 30 35 27 49 / 10 40 10 40 Parsons-KPPF 32 37 30 49 / 10 30 10 40 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && UPDATE...RBL SHORT TERM...ELM LONG TERM...ELM AVIATION...RBL FIRE WEATHER...ELM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 656 PM CDT Sat Mar 31 2018 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-012100- 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- 656 PM CDT Sat Mar 31 2018 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight Flurries will be possible for locations north of Interstate 70 late tonight. No accumulation is expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Light snow will be possible for locations generally along and north of Interstate 70 Sunday morning and may mix with sleet for a brief period of time. Only trace amounts of snow or sleet are expected. Further south, patchy freezing drizzle will be possible Sunday morning for locations generally along and south of a Kingman to Winfield line. This may result in a few slick spots. Another round of light freezing drizzle is possible late Sunday night into Monday morning across southeast Kansas. Once again, while major impacts are not expected, isolated slick spots are possible on untreated roads, bridges and sidewalks. A few thunderstorms are possible Monday evening and night across mainly eastern Kansas. Some strong thunderstorms will be possible as the frontal system moves through the region. Widespread severe weather is not expected. Much of the area will see very high grassland fire danger once again Tuesday afternoon, as gusty north winds develop in wake of a strong cold front. Very high grassland fire danger and isolated extreme fire danger in parts of the Flint Hills is possible Thursday as well. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated tonight. && For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at: http://weather.gov/wichita/hwo/ Lawson
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
21 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. By the end of the month the county had climbed into the extreme drought category.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. By the end of the month the county had climbed into the extreme drought category.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. By the end of the month the county had climbed into the extreme drought category.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. By the end of the month the county had climbed into the extreme drought category.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. By the end of the month the county had climbed into the extreme drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the extreme drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the extreme drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the extreme drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the severe drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the severe drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the severe drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the severe drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the severe drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the severe drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the severe drought category.
Drought conditions continued during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county remained in the severe drought category.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county climbed into the severe drought category by the end of the month.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county climbed into the severe drought category by the end of the month.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county climbed into the severe drought category by the end of the month.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county climbed into the severe drought category by the end of the month.
Drought conditions worsened during the month of April, 2018. Most of the county climbed into the severe drought category by the end of the month.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, April 2018
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: 750994, 750995, 750996, 750998, 750999, 751002, 751003, 751004, 751019, 751021, 751022, 751023, 751024, 751025, 751026, 751027, 751032, 751033, 751034, 751035, 751036.