During the evening hours, discrete supercell thunderstorms developed across Southwest Kansas. One storm in particular developed over southern Wichita County, producing thunderstorm wind gusts up to 100 mph that caused near zero visibility due to blowing dust and damage to a power pole.
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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 hours, discrete supercell thunderstorms developed across Southwest Kansas. One storm in particular developed over southern Wichita County, producing thunderstorm wind gusts up to 100 mph that caused near zero visibility due to blowing dust and damage to a power pole. Nickel sized hail was also observed with this storm.
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 Aug 11, 5:51 PM CST, 1 hour 27 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Goodland KS 551 PM MDT Wed Aug 11 2021 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday night) Issued at 226 PM MDT Wed Aug 11 2021 Across the Tri State region this afternoon, skies are mainly sunny except for a lingering high thin veil of smoke. A front has sagged south of the area, allow for high pressure and east-northeasterly flow to spread over the area. Some gusts over 20 mph at times, with area temperatures ranging in the lower to mid 90s. The latest RAP40 500 mb analysis and water vapor loop do show a persistent northwest flow over the area, with upper ridges on each coast, and a broad trough/low over the central portion of the country into Canada. For the remainder of the afternoon into tonight, as with the past several days, the hot temps will persist into sunset before slowly dissipating late. The aforementioned front/boundary currently sitting south of the CWA, could be the focus for a few isolated showers or storms to form. Have mentioned a 20 pop for such for a few hours into the evening. Best focus/potential lies in the DDC forecast area along/south of the boundary. Any storms that do form could bring a brief heavy downpour and even some strong gusty winds based on model soundings showing an inverted-v profile in the aforementioned area. Going into Thursday and on into Friday evening, chances for showers and thunderstorms increase as a second front moves slowly south into the area. Timing is such that the area will see another hot day before relief arrives in the form of clouds/rain. A 500 mb shortwave moves off the Rockies towards 00z Friday, which will help to enhance any convection ongoing, giving the evening hrs best chances for qpf/storms. SPC does have much of the eastern cwa under a Marginal risk for severe with hail/wind threats. Locally heavy rainfall can't be ruled out as well with these slow moving storms. Convection will lift slowly north and east of the CWA Friday and Friday night before tapering off. For temps, highs Thursday in the 90s, but will be highly dependent on the speed of the front into the CWA. 80s expected for Friday. Overnight lows will range mainly from the lower to mid 60s. Some upper 50s are possible in far western portions of Yuma/Kit Carson counties in northeast Colorado. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Wednesday) Issued at 149 PM MDT Wed Aug 11 2021 At the start of the period, an upper ridge of high pressure prevails over the western half of the country with a trough to the east. Thunderstorm chances linger into the day on Saturday, with a weak frontal boundary stalled over the region. Dry weather is forecast for the remainder of the weekend into early next week as the west coast ridge progresses east across the High Plains. Meanwhile, an upper trough digs into the Pacific Northwest. This disturbance and its approaching cold front generates the potential for another round of showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday. A warming trend is expected for the majority of the long term period, with highs climbing from the upper 80s/low 90s on Saturday to the low/mid 90s for Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday sees a slight cool down to the upper 80s/low 90s. Low temperatures range in the upper 50s to upper 60s. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Thursday evening) Issued at 521 PM MDT Wed Aug 11 2021 VFR conditions are expected at MCK and GLD through the 00Z TAF period. Clear skies overnight will become partly cloudy as scattered thunderstorms develop between 18-22Z and continue through the remainder of the TAF period. Light southeast winds turn southwest after midnight and to the northeast between 18-21Z as a cold front pushes through the area. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && SHORT TERM...JN LONG TERM...JBH AVIATION...LOCKHART
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Goodland KS 125 PM MDT Wed Aug 11 2021 COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-121930- Yuma-Kit Carson-Cheyenne-Rawlins-Decatur-Norton-Sherman-Thomas- Sheridan-Graham-Wallace-Logan-Gove-Greeley-Wichita-Dundy-Hitchcock- Red Willow- 125 PM MDT Wed Aug 11 2021 /225 PM CDT Wed Aug 11 2021/ This hazardous weather outlook is for extreme southwest Nebraska... northwest Kansas and east central Colorado. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are possible in eastern Colorado and adjacent Kansas and Nebraska border counties this afternoon. Low relative humidity values and dry fuels are the primary concern. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are possible Thursday afternoon in eastern Colorado and adjacent Kansas and Nebraska border counties as winds may gust up to 25 mph during the afternoon. Thunderstorms are possible Thursday afternoon through the early night hours, mainly along and south of I-70. An isolated severe storm may be possible in Northwest Kansas. Thunderstorms are possible across the Tri-State area Friday afternoon and evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Goodland KS
809 PM CDT Wed Aug 11 2021
KSZ042-120145-
Wichita KS-
809 PM CDT Wed Aug 11 2021
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Wichita
County through 845 PM CDT...
At 808 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles south of Leoti, moving southeast at 5 mph.
HAZARD...Half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of southeastern
Wichita County, including the following locations... Lydia.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3834 10140 3842 10132 3834 10116 3826 10124
3826 10129
TIME...MOT...LOC 0108Z 305DEG 4KT 3834 10134
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
MRCThe Goodland radar (KGLD), 119 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:18 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Wichita County Dispatch relayed an officer report of near zero visibility due to blowing dust caused by winds with an estimated peak gust of 100 mph. The strong winds were able to snap a power pole at mile marker 106 along Kansas Highway 25.
Wichita County Dispatch relayed an officer report of nickel sized hail at mile marker 106 along Kansas Highway 25.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, August 2021
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: 977646, 977647.