During the evening the group of thunderstorms from East Central Colorado moved into Northwest Kansas behind a cold front. As the thunderstorms moved into Kansas they become an organized thunderstorm complex, turning into more of a wind threat than a hail threat.
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 GLD wrote it up.
During the evening the group of thunderstorms from East Central Colorado moved into Northwest Kansas behind a cold front. As the thunderstorms moved into Kansas they become an organized thunderstorm complex, turning into more of a wind threat than a hail threat. Peak wind gusts from this event were estimated at 100 MPH from damage in Hoxie and in far southern Cheyenne County. As this complex moved east, another area of prolonged thunderstorm activity behind the cold front was occurring over Graham County where several hours of heavy rainfall had occurred. The many hours of prolonged rainfall added up to between four and six inches of rain for the northern half of Graham County, which lead to flash flooding in Hill City. The largest hail size reported was golf ball at two different locations.
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 Goodland, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 30, 5:30 PM CST, 1 hour 33 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Goodland KS 530 PM MDT Sat Jun 30 2018 .SHORT TERM...(Today through Sunday) Issued at 105 PM MDT Sat Jun 30 2018 Overview: A potent shortwave, centered over south-central WY at 18Z, will track eastward into the NE Panhandle this evening -- then lift northeast to southeast SD overnight. A lee cyclone centered south of I-70 in western KS at 18Z will shift southward into the TX Panhandle this evening as sfc high pressure builds into the region from the northwest, ushering a cooler airmass into the Tri- State area. High pressure will shift slowly east across Kansas during the day Sunday. Today-Tonight: Very challenging forecast. At 18Z, low overcast on the N/NW periphery of the lee cyclone in northeast CO and southwest NE has largely inhibited insolation, with temperatures ranging from the low/mid 60s to low 70s at 18Z. On the S/SE periphery of the lee cyclone in western KS, skies remained mostly sunny with temperatures in the upper 80s to lower 90s. Forcing this afternoon will be confined to low-level convergence invof the lee cyclone and low-level warm advection on the northern periphery of the lee cyclone (north of I-70 ), the latter of which will result in scattered elevated convection in southwest NE through 21Z. With substantial convective inhibition still in place per 18Z SPC mesoanalysis data, it is unclear whether or not sfc based convection will develop in the warm sector S/SE of Goodland after 21Z. Given that the warm sector will shift south/east with time, sfc-based convection, should it develop, would most likely occur along/east of a line from Garden City to Hill City. Convection is most likely this evening/tonight (00-09Z) as the aforementioned shortwave progresses into the NE Panhandle and scattered to widespread elevated convection expected to develop upstream in northeast CO/southwest NE progresses southeast through northwest Kansas. Large hail, damaging winds and perhaps an isolated tornado would be possible in assoc/w any surface based convection south/east of Goodland this afternoon (though development is very uncertain). Additionally, an isolated instance of severe hail will be possible in assoc/w elevated convection in southwest NE this afternoon. A more substantial potential for large hail may exist this evening as elevated convection (including a few elevated supercells) progress southeast into the Tri-State area. Sunday: Expect clearing skies and cooler temperatures as high pressure becomes situated over the state. .LONG TERM...(Sunday night through Saturday) Issued at 100 PM MDT Sat Jun 30 2018 Sunday night will continue to be quiet with overnight low in the upper 50s to middle 60s. Monday, breezy south winds will bring warmer temperatures back into the forecast area. Late afternoon and through the evening a compact upper level short wave trough will deepen just west of the region, near the dry line. Scattered storms may develop and spread east during the evening. For the rest of the extended, an elongated upper level high, over the southeastern and eastern CONUS, along with an upper level trough moving into the Pacific Northwest region will produce predominantly southwest flow aloft over the High Plains through midweek. This upper level high looks to retrograde westward from Tuesday and by Friday be located over the centered Plains with strong ridging into central Canada. This will influence the region with mostly dry conditions; however, southerly surface winds may transport moisture into the High Plains, underneath this area of high pressure, keeping a few spotty chances for storms in the forecast. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Sunday evening) Issued at 530 PM MDT Sat Jun 30 2018 For KGLD and KMCK, vfr conditions expected through 01z. From 02z- 04z a line or broken line of thunderstorms is expected to move through both terminals producing winds potentially in excess of 50kts, large hail and heavy rainfall producing sub vfr conditions. From 04z-06z gusty north winds continue with cigs improving to vfr. From 07z-18z winds generally from the northwest 10kts or less, after 19z winds become variable at 6kts or less under a clear sky. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && SHORT TERM...VINCENT LONG TERM...BW AVIATION...99
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Goodland KS 337 PM MDT Sat Jun 30 2018 COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-012145- Yuma County-Kit Carson County-Cheyenne County-Cheyenne-Rawlins- Decatur-Norton-Sherman-Thomas-Sheridan-Graham-Wallace-Logan-Gove- Greeley-Wichita-Dundy-Hitchcock-Red Willow- 337 PM MDT Sat Jun 30 2018 /437 PM CDT Sat Jun 30 2018/ This hazardous weather outlook is for extreme southwest Nebraska... northwest Kansas and east central Colorado. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... ...Enhanced Risk for Severe Thunderstorms this Evening... A line of thunderstorms will develop in eastern Colorado late this afternoon and track east across the Tri-State area this evening. The primary threat with these storms will be damaging wind gusts up to 80 mph and golf ball to tennis ball size hail. The threat for severe weather will be greatest between 6 pm and Midnight MDT. Areas along and north of Interstate 70 are most likely to be affected. Locally heavy rainfall and isolated flash flooding will also be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... Large hail and damaging winds may occur with thunderstorms Monday evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is expected this evening. Vincent
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
645 PM MDT SAT JUN 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0626 PM TSTM WND GST 7 SW IDALIA 39.64N 102.40W
06/30/2018 E60 MPH YUMA CO TRAINED SPOTTER
REPORTED EST WINDS BETWEEN 40 TO 60 MPH.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
649 PM MDT SAT JUN 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0648 PM TSTM WND GST 2 NNW HALE 39.65N 102.14W
06/30/2018 M58 MPH YUMA CO MESONET
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
651 PM MDT SAT JUN 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0647 PM TSTM WND GST 10 WNW SAINT FRANCIS 39.81N 101.97W
06/30/2018 M56 MPH CHEYENNE KS MESONET
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
653 PM MDT SAT JUN 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0653 PM TSTM WND GST 2 NNW HALE 39.65N 102.14W
06/30/2018 M60 MPH YUMA CO MESONET
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
659 PM MDT SAT JUN 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0652 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 9 S LENORA 39.49N 100.00W
06/30/2018 GRAHAM KS TRAINED SPOTTER
TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD.
&&
BLNPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GOODLAND KS
703 PM MDT SAT JUN 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0701 PM TSTM WND GST SAINT FRANCIS 39.77N 101.80W
06/30/2018 M52 MPH CHEYENNE KS AWOS
&&The Goodland radar (KGLD), 39 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:03 UTC.
27 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
An irrigation pivot was blown over.
Estimated wind gusts of 60 MPH were reported.
A very large tree limb was blown down in town. On the northeast side of town a 25' tall tree was blown over and is blocking the road.
An estimated wind gust of 85 MPH was reported.
The hail ranged from dime to golf ball in size.
A large fire works tent was blown over near Walmart, road barricades were blown a quarter of a block in town, several four to five inch diameter tree limbs were blown down.
An unknown number of tree were blown down and a shed blew over the house.
The hail started out as pea size then grew to quarter size.
Unknown number of large tree limbs, estimated at five inches in diameter, were blown down.
The hail ranged from pea to half dollar in size.
Estimated the wind gusts to range from 60-70 MPH.
Estimated the wind gusts to be 65 MPH.
The flood waters moved into Hill City from the north, overwhelming the drainage tunnels under the town. Water was deep enough in town to move into businesses. |Residents in the trailer park on the south side of town had to evacuate. Two different families had to be water rescued due to their resistance to leave despite flood waters surrounding their home in both instances. One trailer house was carried away by the flood waters. A house in town, located near where the drainage tunnels empty, was engulfed with flood waters. The city park and playground equipment, where the drainage for town empties, was almost completely submerged in water. Over six inches of rainfall was measured in town.
The bridge west of Nicodemus was flooded. No damage was reported.
Unknown number of tree limbs up to five inches in diameter were snapped off.
Wind speeds were estimated to be 60-70 MPH.
Estimated wind speeds of 60 MPH were reported.
Several power poles were damaged from the thunderstorm winds, causing all of Colby to not have power. Power lines were blown down at the K-State research extension grounds causing a small fire. However the rain put the fire out before any damage was done. A window was broken at Orschlens.
The hail started out golf ball size then decreased to nickel size.
Picture of a handheld anemometer with the wind speed measurement.
Multiple large tree limbs blown down in town, and a four inch flag pole by the sheriff's office was bent in half.
An estimated wind gust of 75 MPH was reported.
Wind gusts of 60-70 MPH were measured as the storms began to move through.
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, June 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: 769797, 769820, 769806, 769798, 769809, 769810, 769791, 769799, 769802, 769793, 769800, 769794, 769811, 769812, 769840, 769841, 769813, 769795, 769814, 769815, 769816, 769817, 769818, 769803, 769796, 769821, 769822, 769823, 769824, 769825, 769805, 769826, 769828, 769827.