Late in the afternoon and early evening of the 21st, three short-lived tornadoes struck Southeast Kansas. The first and third events were very brief, but the second caused minor damage in Elk County 2 miles west of Longton where it caused roof damage to a home and shifted an outbuilding from its foundation.
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.
Late in the afternoon and early evening of the 21st, three short-lived tornadoes struck Southeast Kansas. The first and third events were very brief, but the second caused minor damage in Elk County 2 miles west of Longton where it caused roof damage to a home and shifted an outbuilding from its foundation. Later that evening, an isolated severe thunderstorm lashed Russell County with very high winds where a 65-knot gust was measured at Russell Airport.
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 Sep 21, 1:59 PM CST, 1 hour 49 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 259 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday night) Issued at 259 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 Area of strong low and mid-level moisture transport may continue to support some widely scattered elevated, quasi-surface based convection along/east of the turnpike late this afternoon. However, the more robust surface based storms are expected to develop along the front in central Kansas by early evening, where bulk shear of 35-40kts, around 2800 j/kg of MLcape will support severe storms. While mainly a large hail and down-burst wind threat, a non-zero brief tornado risk is possible with any initial discrete cells. Otherwise, the mode should transition to linear clusters along the front later in the evening. Main risk overnight will be heavy rainfall. Southwesterly low level jet impinging over the front may promote a period of back-building/northward propagation within the developing mesoscale complex across central Kansas. Then later in the night thru Sunday morning, another area of convection within the deeper moisture transport should develop along/east of the turnpike across the southern Flint Hills and southeast Kansas. The front is expected to progress south across the area on Sunday with best convective chances and potential for localized heavy rainfall lingering across southeast Kansas until late afternoon. Progressive clearing/drying is expected in the wake of the departing front and upper trof Sunday night with dry and seasonably mild weather for Monday. However, moisture is expected to return by Tuesday with a return of modest precip/ convective chances. Darmofal .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Saturday) Issued at 259 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 A significant upper trof will sweep east-southeast across the Upper Midwest/Great Lakes on Wednesday sending a decent cold front south across Kansas. This should drop temperatures closer to late September climo Wednesday and/or Thursday depending on the timing. A large vortex aloft develops across Canada for mid to late in the week as a deeper trough develops along the West coast. This will kick out a closed low from the Baja region/Southwest CONUS as a trof moving northeast across the Plains. Temperatures should warm in the southerly flow on Friday and probably remain warm into Saturday. KED && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Sunday afternoon) Issued at 1247 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 Scattered showers and storms impacting southeast KS and KCNU during the morning hours will gradually propagate eastward away from the area as we move into the mid afternoon hours. Other showers and storms may develop within the moist axis over central OK impacting portions of southeast KS later this afternoon. Meanwhile, VFR and breezy southwest winds prevailed across central KS through the late morning and early afternoon hours. Winds will veer ahead of a slow moving cold front across central KS this afternoon. This front will provide a focus for some severe storms after 3-5 PM across our central KS counties possibly impacting KRSL, KGBD and KSLN into the evening hours. More widespread storm development tonight will impact much of the area with reduced flight categories likely through much of the night. Winds behind the front will shift to the northwest and this front is expected across central KS in the 11Z-14Z timeframe on Sunday spreading slowly south and eastward across south central Kansas towards midday and southeast KS during the afternoon hours. The front may provide a focus for showers and storms across portions of south central and all of southeast KS during the day on Sunday. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 68 79 56 81 / 60 60 0 0 Hutchinson 67 77 54 81 / 60 50 0 0 Newton 68 77 54 80 / 70 70 0 0 ElDorado 69 78 54 79 / 80 80 10 0 Winfield-KWLD 69 79 56 80 / 80 80 10 0 Russell 61 77 55 84 / 80 40 0 0 Great Bend 62 76 54 83 / 80 40 0 0 Salina 66 76 55 82 / 90 60 0 0 McPherson 66 75 53 80 / 80 60 0 0 Coffeyville 70 79 59 82 / 80 90 30 0 Chanute 70 78 55 80 / 80 90 30 0 Iola 70 78 54 80 / 80 90 20 0 Parsons-KPPF 70 78 57 81 / 80 90 30 0 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch from 7 PM CDT this evening through Sunday afternoon for KSZ052-053-069>072-093>096-098>100. Flash Flood Watch from 7 PM CDT this evening through Sunday morning for KSZ033-048-049. && SHORT TERM...KED LONG TERM...KED AVIATION...MWM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 446 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-222200- 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- 446 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight There is a risk for severe storms this evening across central Kansas and a portion of south central Kansas and the southern Flint Hills. The main threats will be quarter to golf ball size and damaging down-burst winds of 60 to 70 mph. In addition, a tornado will be possible through 9 pm. The main storm threat late this evening across central Kansas and late tonight across the Flint Hills and southeast Kansas will be heavy rainfall. This could result in flash flash flooding. Please refer to the Flash Flood Watch for details. A few strong storms with small hail and gusty winds can also be expected across the entire area after midnight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday The risk for thunderstorms with heavy rainfall will gradually shift east from the Flint Hills into southeast Kansas on Sunday with a continued threat of flooding through early afternoon. There will be periodic chances for thunderstorms Monday night through Thursday night. While organized severe storms are not expected with this activity, some strong storms appear possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed early this evening across south central Kansas and the southern Flint Hills and later this evening across a portion of central Kansas. && For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at: http://weather.gov/wichita/hwo/
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
359 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019
KSZ092-212130-
Sumner KS-
359 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019
The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a
* Significant Weather Advisory for...
Northwestern Sumner County in south central Kansas...
* Until 430 PM CDT.
* At 355 PM CDT...National Weather Service meteorologists were
tracking a strong thunderstorm 7 miles south of Argonia, or 10
miles northwest of Caldwell...moving northeast at 35 mph.
hail up to the size of dimes...and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be
possible with this storm.
* Locations impacted include...
Wellington, Conway Springs, Argonia, Mayfield, Milan, Riverdale and
Wellington Airport.
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 3713 9780 3723 9780 3748 9757 3748 9747
3733 9728 3704 9769
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 223DEG 31KT 3717 9772
MCGUIRESpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Wichita KS 403 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 KSZ093-212130- Cowley KS- 403 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019 The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a * Significant Weather Advisory for... Southeastern Cowley County in south central Kansas... * Until 430 PM CDT. * At 401 PM CDT...National Weather Service meteorologists were tracking a strong thunderstorm near Dexter, or 13 miles west of Cedar Vale...moving northeast at 25 mph. hail up to the size of dimes...and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. * Locations impacted include... Dexter, Cambridge and Maple City. 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 3701 9680 3713 9688 3746 9654 3708 9653 TIME...MOT...LOC 2103Z 230DEG 20KT 3711 9674 MCGUIRE
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
433 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019
KSZ083-092-212200-
Sumner KS-Sedgwick KS-
433 PM CDT Sat Sep 21 2019
The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a
* Significant Weather Advisory for...
Northern Sumner County in south central Kansas...
South central Sedgwick County in south central Kansas...
* Until 500 PM CDT.
* At 430 PM CDT...National Weather Service meteorologists were
tracking a strong thunderstorm 7 miles southeast of Conway
Springs...moving northeast at 20 mph.
Hail up to the size of dimes...and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be
possible with this storm.
* Locations impacted include...
Wellington, Clearwater, Belle Plaine, Conway Springs, Mayfield,
Milan, Riverdale and Wellington Airport.
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 3729 9774 3758 9745 3737 9715 3735 9715
3716 9759
TIME...MOT...LOC 2133Z 234DEG 17KT 3729 9758
VAUGHANThe Wichita radar (KICT), 96 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:47 UTC.
3 tornado, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
This was a brief event that caused no damage.
There was some roof damage to a home and an outbuilding was shifted from its foundation. There was also some damage to chicken coops. The time of the event was estimated.
This was a brief event that caused no damage.
The gust was measured by the Russell Municipal Airport ASOS. Surprisingly, no damage was reported.
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, September 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: 854009, 854013, 854014, 856189.