Isolated severe storms moved across portions of central Kansas on July 14th, 2020, producing winds of 60-65 mph. Heavy rains around 2 inches also plagued the area causing some minor flooding.
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.
Isolated severe storms moved across portions of central Kansas on July 14th, 2020, producing winds of 60-65 mph. Heavy rains around 2 inches also plagued the area causing some minor flooding.
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 Jul 14, 2:02 AM CST, 13 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 302 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020 .SHORT TERM...(Today through Thursday night) Issued at 301 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020 The main challenge in the short term will be the timing, intensity and how far south the next thunderstorm event will develop. Current satellite depicts a rather strong short wave in the Northern Rockies that is progressing further south and into a Pacific moisture field in the Central and Southern Rockies. All the short term models prog this short wave and attendant moisture field to push into the Northern and Central Plains during the afternoon and into the overnight period Tuesday. This is where the short term models diverge. The ECMWF continues to build the mid and upper level ridge at the same time as the short wave encroaches on the region. This effectively shuts off the bulk of the thunderstorm activity for the CWA and shunts it further to the north into Nebraska and the Dakotas. The ECMWF also shuts off the moisture transport a the 700mb level through the short term. The GFS/NAM families are much more robust with the thunderstorm possibilities and hold the moisture transport in the region longer. Additionally, instability and lapse rates are also good (3000-4000 J/Kg CAPE and 7.3-8.0C lapse rates) provide a very good environment for thunderstorms. Shear levels during this time are decent but not great. Unfortunately, both the GFS/NAM indicated a rather strong mid and low level cap will be in place for much of Tuesday. This appears to be main limiting factor for the development of severe weather keeping the thunderstorm chances for down during the day. By Tuesday evening, this cap is expected to be push out of the region as the short wave approaches. As such, timing of this activity appears to be late evening and into the overnight hours Tuesday. This will make for a good chance for wide spread thunderstorms over much of North Central Kansas Tuesday evening and overnight. Areas further south are a question mark at this time but feel there will be enough push to get thunderstorms as far south of US 54. Given the high CAPE and good lapse rates, can see some isolated severe thunderstorms but feel wide spread severe weather is not as likely as the atmosphere will be mostly capped during the day and the thunderstorm chances arrive after sunset. This short wave through is expected to stall over the region Wednesday which will keep the chances for scattered showers and thunderstorms to remain in the region. Temperatures for Tuesday are expected to be rather warm with the cap in place but areas further to the north may be a few degrees cooler if the high level clouds move into the region as storms develop Western Kansas during the early afternoon. Wednesday, the flow will come around to the north and west which will allow for CAA to push into the region. This CAA will be very weak but will allow temperatures to be a little cooler across the region, especially in Central Kansas. By Thursday, the instability will wane and some mid level ridging will return. This will keep the thunderstorm chances down for Thursday and will allow for temperatures to rebound and return to the mid 90s. Metzger .LONG TERM...(Friday through Monday) Issued at 301 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020 The extended range looks to be fairly quiet and the models appear to be in fair agreement on this. Ridging at the mid and upper levels looks to build into the region Friday and into the weekend providing some decent subsidence. This will keep the temperatures hot and above normal. Some areas are likely to see 100s Friday and Saturday. Precipitation chances look to be minimal with the next decent chance for precipitation looking to be toward the end of the weekend and into next week. Metzger && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Tuesday night) Issued at 1131 PM CDT Mon Jul 13 2020 Breezy southeast winds will prevail across central and south central Kansas through tonight. Another large MCS that developed across the Central High Plains will continue drifting eastward tonight while continuing to dissipate. There is still plenty of uncertainty in how far east the activity will make it before dissipating with VFR prevailing at most locations. The best chance for showers/storms is expected across portions of central and perhaps south central KS in the 07-10Z timeframe. Much of the area may remain capped as we move through the day tomorrow although an approaching shortwave trough will bring increasing chances for storms to the region late tomorrow night. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 98 74 91 71 / 20 40 30 10 Hutchinson 92 69 85 68 / 20 50 20 10 Newton 93 70 87 69 / 20 50 30 10 ElDorado 95 72 89 70 / 20 50 40 10 Winfield-KWLD 99 73 93 72 / 20 30 30 10 Russell 90 65 84 65 / 10 50 20 10 Great Bend 91 66 84 66 / 10 60 20 10 Salina 92 69 86 68 / 20 60 40 10 McPherson 92 68 85 68 / 20 50 30 10 Coffeyville 97 76 93 73 / 20 20 20 10 Chanute 96 74 92 72 / 20 50 50 10 Iola 95 74 92 72 / 20 60 50 10 Parsons-KPPF 96 75 92 73 / 20 20 30 10 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 8 PM CDT this evening for KSZ053-069>072-083-092>096-098>100. && SHORT TERM...ELM LONG TERM...ELM AVIATION...MWM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 1235 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-150545- 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- 1235 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight Scattered thunderstorms will move into central and south central Kansas during the early morning predawn hours, generally along and west of I-135. Gusty winds of 40 to 50 mph and brief heavy downpours will be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday there is a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms moving across central Kansas. Most of this activity is expected to be along and north of highway 50. Areas further south to highway 50 are may see some isolated showers or thunderstorms. Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across central Kansas with dime to quarter size hail and 50 to 60 mph winds. The next chance for thunderstorms will be Thursday evening through early Friday. Strong thunderstorms may occur. Heat indices will hover near 105 degrees across southeast Kansas during the afternoon hours on Tuesday. There is a better chance for much of the area experiencing heat indices from 100 to 105 degrees during the afternoon hours for Friday through Sunday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated tonight. && For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at: https://weather.gov/crh/ghwo?sid=ict
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Wichita KS 205 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020 KSZ032-140730- Russell KS- 205 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020 The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a * Significant Weather Advisory for... Russell County in central Kansas... * Until 230 AM CDT. * At 204 AM CDT...National Weather Service meteorologists were tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near Natoma to Milberger...and moving east at 45 mph. wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms. * Locations impacted include... Russell, Lucas, Gorham, Luray, Dorrance, Milberger, Bunker Hill, Paradise, Waldo, Wilson State Park, Wilson Lake and Russell Airport. LAT...LON 3913 9904 3913 9848 3870 9849 3870 9904 TIME...MOT...LOC 0705Z 277DEG 41KT 3916 9900 3871 9895 DARMOFAL
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
236 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020
KSZ032-033-047-048-140800-
Ellsworth KS-Russell KS-Lincoln KS-Barton KS-
236 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020
The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a
* Significant Weather Advisory for...
Ellsworth County in central Kansas...
Eastern Russell County in central Kansas...
Lincoln County in central Kansas...
Northern Barton County in central Kansas...
* Until 300 AM CDT.
* At 233 AM CDT...National Weather Service meteorologists were
tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near
Lucas to near Dorrance to near Olmitz...and moving east at 45 mph.
wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms.
* Locations impacted include...
Ellsworth, Hoisington, Wilson, Claflin, Kanopolis, Lincoln,
Holyrood, Lucas, Sylvan Grove, Dorrance, Beverly, Lorraine, Olmitz,
Barnard, Milberger, Bunker Hill, Galatia, Susank, Ash Grove and
Westfall.
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3922 9793 3887 9793 3852 9830 3850 9903
3869 9903 3891 9867 3913 9853 3913 9849
3922 9848
TIME...MOT...LOC 0735Z 260DEG 39KT 3909 9849 3890 9854 3859 9894
DARMOFALSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Wichita KS 243 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020 KSZ047-140815- Barton KS- 243 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020 The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a * Significant Weather Advisory for... Barton County in central Kansas... * Until 315 AM CDT. * At 241 AM CDT...National Weather Service meteorologists were tracking a strong thunderstorm over Otis...moving east at 40 mph. hail up to the size of dimes...and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this storm. * Locations impacted include... Great Bend, Hoisington, Ellinwood, Claflin, Pawnee Rock, Albert, Olmitz, Galatia, Susank, Great Bend Airport, Cheyenne Bottoms and Odin. 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. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. && LAT...LON 3870 9903 3870 9848 3826 9848 3826 9903 TIME...MOT...LOC 0743Z 272DEG 35KT 3851 9909 DARMOFAL
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
300 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020
KSZ033-048-140830-
Ellsworth KS-Lincoln KS-
300 AM CDT Tue Jul 14 2020
The National Weather Service in Wichita has issued a
* Significant Weather Advisory for...
Ellsworth County in central Kansas...
Lincoln County in central Kansas...
* Until 330 AM CDT.
* At 256 AM CDT...National Weather Service meteorologists were
tracking strong thunderstorms along a line extending from near
Victor to 9 miles north of Kanopolis to Holyrood...and moving east
at 45 mph.
wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these storms.
* Locations impacted include...
Ellsworth, Wilson, Kanopolis, Lincoln, Holyrood, Sylvan Grove,
Beverly, Lorraine, Barnard, Ash Grove, Westfall, Ellsworth Airport,
Kanopolis Lake, Kanopolis State Park, Wilson State Park and Wilson
Lake.
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.
&&
LAT...LON 3856 9792 3855 9847 3873 9849 3921 9849
3922 9794
TIME...MOT...LOC 0759Z 259DEG 40KT 3919 9831 3884 9811 3860 9841
DARMOFALThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Estimated by the spotter to be around 60 mph.
The wind speeds were estimated.
Several roads that normally flood during heavy rains were closed or covered with low amounts of water.
Wind speeds were estimated to be around 60 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, July 2020
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: 903062, 903063, 903060, 903064.