A prolonged period of severe thunderstorms that produced a grand slam of flash floods, large hail, damaging winds & even a couple tornadoes hit nearly all of the Wichita (ICT) County Warning Area (CWA) throughout the afternoon & night on the 24th. Of the severe thunderstorm modes, floods & flash floods proved to be, by far, the greatest threat to these areas.
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 prolonged period of severe thunderstorms that produced a grand slam of flash floods, large hail, damaging winds & even a couple tornadoes hit nearly all of the Wichita (ICT) County Warning Area (CWA) throughout the afternoon & night on the 24th. Of the severe thunderstorm modes, floods & flash floods proved to be, by far, the greatest threat to these areas. The flash flooding continued across primarily Southeast Kansas well into the 25th and in parts of South-Central Kansas, the morning of the 26th. River flooding continued the following week.
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 May 24, 5:36 AM CST, 3 hours 39 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 636 AM CDT Fri May 24 2019 .SHORT TERM...(Today through Tonight) Issued at 319 AM CDT Fri May 24 2019 Active pattern looks to continue for several more days, with numerous rounds of thunderstorms expected through Tuesday evening. A synoptic pattern favorable for essentially daily rounds of thunderstorms across Mid-America has set up across the country, featured by a western CONUS longwave trough and eastern CONUS ridge. Periodic shortwaves ejecting northeast out of the base of the longwave trough have and will continue to interact with a very moist/unstable boundary layer across Mid-America. NAEFS standardized anomaly plots suggest the western CONUS trough and mid/upper winds fields are anomalously deep/strong, with anomalously high low-level moisture/precipitable water values...all ingredients needed for multi-day strong/severe storms and heavy rain/flooding. Current activity progressing across southern/central KS should continue to wane in intensity as the early morning progresses, although cannot rule out a stray severe wind gust, especially if a bowing segment can align itself NNW-SSE perpendicular to 0-3km shear vectors. Imagine we'll be able to cancel tornado watch early. Otherwise, a few showers/thunderstorms may linger through the morning across the area within a zone of rich mid-level moisture and warm advection. Current activity will lay out a weak/subtle low- level baroclinic zone across the area this afternoon, which will be the focus for renewed development this afternoon/evening. Thinking this will be mainly east/southeast of a line from Pratt- Lyons- Salina. 700mb temperatures don't look quite as warm today compared to yesterday, so activity may tend to go up faster and more widespread. That said, extensive clouds, rich mid-level moisture and the shear number of storms may limit the overall severe threat, although still expecting at least a handful of strong/severe storms. Main threats will be hail/wind, although cannot rule out an isolated tornado. The bigger story may be potential for very heavy rainfall, with efficient rain producers due to high PW values. Will continue the flash flood watch through tonight, expanding to include a few more southeast KS counties. Kleinsasser .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 319 AM CDT Fri May 24 2019 The evening-overnight hours of both Saturday and Sunday look active as well, as model consensus ejects a pair of shortwaves northeast over Mid-America. Details regarding placement of the highest PoPs are still unclear, but continued strong moisture/instability coupled with at least modest deep layer shear will support another couple rounds of strong to severe storms along with very heavy rainfall. Monday-Monday night may actually turn out to be on the quiet side, as model consensus keeps the best low-level focus for convection across Nebraska. However, another round of storms is expected again by Tuesday afternoon-evening, as a deep trough and associated strong cold front approach from the west/northwest. Finally a relief from the barrage of daily storms is expected to arrive by mid week, as the overall favorable synoptic pattern breaks down. Kleinsasser && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Saturday morning) Issued at 624 AM CDT Fri May 24 2019 Showers and isolated thunderstorms continue to impact much of central and south central Kansas this morning. This activity will drift eastward impacting southeast Kansas during the mid to late morning hours. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to redevelop during the afternoon hours as we remain weakly capped with a very moist pbl. Pockets of MVFR or lower are likely under the heaviest activity. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 319 AM CDT Fri May 24 2019 Several more rounds of thunderstorms are expected through Tuesday evening, with a continued very heavy rainfall threat. Given saturated soils, low FFG values and already swollen rivers/streams, flooding issues will likely continue and even worsen for some. The greatest threat this afternoon-evening will be generally southeast of a line from Pratt-Lyons-Salina. Numerous storms are expected, and will likely be efficient rain producers given high PW values and relatively higher mid-level moisture. Activity will tend to train SW-NE along a quasi-stationary frontal zone. Kleinsasser && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 77 66 82 65 / 60 60 30 60 Hutchinson 76 65 82 64 / 50 50 20 60 Newton 76 65 81 64 / 60 60 30 70 ElDorado 76 67 80 64 / 70 60 30 70 Winfield-KWLD 78 67 81 66 / 60 60 20 60 Russell 78 62 82 62 / 30 30 20 60 Great Bend 77 63 81 62 / 30 30 20 60 Salina 79 65 83 64 / 40 50 20 60 McPherson 76 65 82 63 / 50 50 20 60 Coffeyville 82 70 82 68 / 30 40 20 50 Chanute 80 69 81 67 / 50 50 30 70 Iola 79 69 81 66 / 50 60 40 70 Parsons-KPPF 81 70 82 67 / 40 50 30 60 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch through Saturday morning for KSZ049>053- 067>072-082-083-091>095-098. && SHORT TERM...ADK LONG TERM...ADK AVIATION...MWM HYDROLOGY...ADK
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 428 AM CDT Fri May 24 2019 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-250930- 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- 428 AM CDT Fri May 24 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Scattered to numerous thunderstorms will impact the region, likely most numerous this afternoon and evening generally southeast of a line extending from Salina to Lyons. Strong to severe thunderstorms are likely, with the primary threat being large hail and damaging winds, although an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. Additionally, a flash flood threat is expected to develop this afternoon and evening, as numerous thunderstorms may tend to move over the same areas. Please refer to the Flash Flood Watch for additional information. Widespread river flooding, some of which is significant, will continue to be a threat as well. Please see the latest River Flood Warnings for the latest information. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Periodic rounds of thunderstorms with heavy rain, flooding, and severe weather will continue to threaten the area at times through Tuesday evening. Please continue to monitor later forecasts as we refine the threat areas for each day. Significant and high-impact river flooding will continue well into next week. Please see the latest River Flood Warnings for the latest information. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is likely this afternoon and evening, mainly southeast of a line extending from Salina to Lyons. && For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at: http://weather.gov/wichita/hwo/
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
930 AM CDT Fri May 24 2019
KSZ094-095-098-099-241530-
Montgomery KS-Wilson KS-Chautauqua KS-Elk KS-
930 AM CDT Fri May 24 2019
The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a
* Significant Weather Advisory for...
Montgomery County in southeastern Kansas...
South central Wilson County in southeastern Kansas...
Eastern Chautauqua County in southeastern Kansas...
Southeastern Elk County in southeastern Kansas...
* Until 1030 AM CDT.
* At 928 AM CDT...National Weather Service Doppler radar was tracking
strong thunderstorms with locally heavy rainfall along a line
extending from near Moline to near Peru to Sunset Lake...and moving
east at 35 mph.
wind gusts up to 40 mph and very heavy rainfall will be possible
with these storms.
* Locations impacted include...
Coffeyville, Independence, Neodesha, Cherryvale, Caney, Sedan,
Dearing, Elk City, Tyro, Peru, Liberty, Chautauqua, Havana, Bolton,
Sycamore, Niotaze, Elk City Lake, Elk City State Park, Hale and
Independence Airport.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.
Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3709 9617 3729 9631 3747 9565 3728 9552
3704 9552 3700 9553 3700 9620
TIME...MOT...LOC 1429Z 257DEG 30KT 3731 9625 3711 9608 3679 9621
MartinThe Tulsa radar (KINX), 158 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:16 UTC.
21 thunderstorm wind, 17 flash flood, 9 flood, 7 hail, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A portion of the levee along the Neosho River was breached that prompted some evacuations.
US-281 was closed at this time just south of Hoisington.
Hail sizes ranged from nickels to quarters.
KWCH relayed a report of nickel to quarter-sized hail occurring at NW 47th and West St.
The report was received via MPING.
The report was received via social media.
There were no reports of damage. This was also a correction to the location of the event.
There were no reports of damage.
The emergency manager confirmed that several limbs were downed. Amateur radio also reported that a few light poles were downed.
Significant tree damage was noted across the community. The only structure that took any damage was one building that had half of it's roof peeled off.
Nickel to quarter-sized hail was reported 1.3 miles west/northwest of Leon on Highway 400.
There was significant damage to a large building caused by strong storm inflow.
Brief touch down in an open field.
There were scattered reports of minor damage around Goddard.
Damage to power lines occurred.
There were no reports of damage.
There were no reports of damage.
Tree damage was reported.
This was a delayed report of a downed tree of unspecified size. The time of the event was based on radar.
There were no reports of damage.
The roads were flooded at W. 125th & Maple Ave.
Winds that were estimated around 43 knots/50 mph were reported across Greenwood County.
The spotter measured 0.78 inch in 20 minutes.
The northbound lane of Highway 77 from just north of El Dorado to just south of the Turnpike entrance was closed.
Flash flood waters entered multiple houses in Eureka.
Highway 77 was completely closed from 12th Street in North El Dorado north to the KS Turnpike Entrance.
Emergency crews responded to a rescue for the occupants of a vehicle caught in high water on a gravel road just south of Highway 54.
Two feet of water flowed across Highway 77 between El Dorado & the KS Turnpike.
A photo was received, via Facebook, of a home & neighborhood streets that were flooded. The home wasn't accessible.
US-54 was closed near the Greenwood/Woodson County Line.
Just west of Elk City, the spotter had to move as road was flooded at this time with heavy rain still in progress.
U.S. Highway 54 was closed in this area.
U.S. Highway 75 was closed from Yates Center to the Woodson/Coffey County Line.
A road was flooded and the adjacent ditches were full.
W. 13th St. was flooded just west of W. 119th. The flooding was likely caused by overflow from the Cowskin Creek.
Highway 14 was barricaded from Nickerson to Sterling. Flooding from the Arkansas River was a likely contributor.
There were no reports of damage.
There were no reports of damage.
There were no reports of damage.
There were no reports of damage.
County Road 5800 was flooded at the bridge due to the swollen Verdigris River.
The gust was measured by the Salina Airport ASOS.
A tree with a 6-8 inch diameter trunk was snapped off at the ground.
There were no reports of damage.
A large branch was downed.
Highway 44 was flooded just of NE 20th Ave.
Burma Rd. was flooded in several places from the McPherson County line to Falun Rd.
Several streets in & around town were closed.
Several streets were closed in & around Newton.
Madison Ave. & Westview were underwater.
A road was flooded near New Salem which is just south of Timber Creek Lake.
A residential street north of Pawnee and west of Lark in far southwest Wichita was flooded.
The flooding was reported just south of the Broadway/103rd South intersection.
There were no reports of damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kansas, 2019Warnings in Kansas, May 2019
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: 825932, 825943, 826025, 826027, 826028, 826029, 826030, 826044, 826045, 826031, 826034, 827140, 826032, 826035, 827142, 826036, 826037, 826046, 826047, 826038, 826039, 826048, 826264, 826049, 825525, 825526, 825527, 825528, 825529, 825530, 825531, 825532, 825957, 825533, 825534, 825958, 825966, 825978, 826050, 826051, and more.