A widespread wind event affected much of the Plains on January 14th and 15th. Some locations across Wyoming, western Nebraska, and eastern Colorado even recorded wind speeds around 100 mph!
Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 widespread wind event affected much of the Plains on January 14th and 15th. Some locations across Wyoming, western Nebraska, and eastern Colorado even recorded wind speeds around 100 mph! Kansas saw two consecutive days of northwest winds in the 55 to 65 mph range.
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 Jan 13, 11:16 PM CST, 2 hours 44 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 1116 PM CST Wed Jan 13 2021 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Saturday night) Issued at 204 PM CST Wed Jan 13 2021 Currently have shortwave energy moving out of the Pacific Northwest and approaching the Northern Rockies. Meanwhile, a much weaker impulse is tracking over the Southeastern Conus. Main focus for this forecast package remains the strong winds both Thu and Fri and associated hazards. Cold front is expected to surge through the forecast area tonight and am anticipating an initial brief increase in winds right along the front, generally in the 08z- 12z time frame. However, still expecting the prolonged extreme winds to start late morning/early afternoon Thu. Models haven't changed much at all the last few days with regards to the this system, which leads to very high confidence in strong northwest winds for both Thu and Fri. Still showing mixing to at least 700mb for both Thu and Fri setting up ideal momentum transfer conditions. Still looking like most of the area will reach wind advisory criteria both days, with locations along and west of a Lincoln to Lyons line having the best chance to reach high wind warning criteria. There will be a chance for sprinkles as the front pushes through tonight but not expecting much more than that. Still appears the best chance for some instability type snow showers on Fri afternoon will be generally over northeast KS. But still wouldn't be surprised if a few of our northeast fringe counties get in on this and did increase pops slightly in these locations for Fri. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Wednesday) Issued at 204 PM CST Wed Jan 13 2021 By Sat afternoon, deep upper trough will be moving off into the northeast CONUS with additional shortwave energy diving southeast out of the northern Rockies and across the forecast area by early Sun morning. Outside of a few flurries the main impact this wave will have will be to keep cooler temps in place through the weekend. We will be back in strong northwest flow aloft by Sun afternoon with yet another impulse expected to track from the Northern Intermountain into the Desert Southwest by Tue morning. This will act to keep temps at or below seasonal normals as we head into the start of the work week. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Thursday night) Issued at 1116 PM CST Wed Jan 13 2021 Very strong northwest winds and low level wind shear are the main concerns late tonight through Thursday behind a strong cold frontal passage. This front will move rapidly across central and southeast Kansas during the predawn hours early Thursday morning. Broken high and mid-level clouds will prevail thru the forecast valid period with some virga/sprinkles possible through Thursday morning. KED && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 204 PM CST Wed Jan 13 2021 Dangerous fire conditions are expected for both Thursday and Friday. Confidence remains high that very strong northwest winds will overspread the area both Thu and Fri. We are looking at gusts in the 45 to 60 mph, with the upper end of this range for areas generally west of I-135. Lowest afternoon RH values Thu are anticipated to be in the 20-30% range with 30-50% expected for Fri. The lower end of these RH's are once again expected along and especially west of I- 135. Confidence is high enough at this point to run with a red flag warning for Thu and will go with a fire watch for the same area for Fri. However, feel confident the watch will eventually be upgraded to a warning. We also plan to issue hot spot notifications both Thu and Fri. However, clouds may become more of an issue for Fri, especially over southeast KS. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 36 52 29 41 / 10 10 0 10 Hutchinson 37 51 28 42 / 10 10 0 10 Newton 36 51 28 39 / 10 10 10 10 ElDorado 36 51 29 40 / 10 10 10 10 Winfield-KWLD 35 53 29 43 / 10 10 0 10 Russell 35 50 26 40 / 10 10 0 0 Great Bend 35 51 27 41 / 10 10 0 0 Salina 36 51 26 40 / 10 10 10 10 McPherson 36 51 27 39 / 10 10 10 10 Coffeyville 35 53 29 39 / 10 10 10 20 Chanute 37 51 29 37 / 10 10 10 20 Iola 36 50 29 37 / 10 10 10 30 Parsons-KPPF 36 52 29 38 / 10 10 10 20 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Red Flag Warning from 11 AM to 7 PM CST Thursday for KSZ032-033- 047>053-067>069-082-083-091>093. Fire Weather Watch from Friday morning through Friday evening for KSZ032-033-047>051-067-068-082-083-091-092. Wind Advisory from 6 AM to 7 PM CST Thursday for KSZ049-051>053- 067>070-082-083-091>094-098. Wind Advisory from 6 AM to 7 PM CST Friday for KSZ049-051>053- 067>069-082-083-091>093. High Wind Warning from 6 AM to 7 PM CST Thursday for KSZ032-033- 047-048-050. High Wind Watch from Friday morning through Friday evening for KSZ032-033-047-048-050. && SHORT TERM...RBL LONG TERM...RBL AVIATION...KED FIRE WEATHER...RBL
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 338 PM CST Wed Jan 13 2021 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-140945-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-338 PM CST Wed Jan 13 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Very strong northwest winds are expected both Thursday and Friday. Wind gusts of 40 to 60 mph are likely mainly during the afternoon hours on both days. Be sure to secure or protect any light weight outdoor items. See latest high wind warning and watches for additional details. These strong northwest winds will combine with drier air, mainly during the afternoon hours on Thursday and Friday. This will create very high to extreme grassland fire danger levels across the region for both Thursday and Friday. Outdoor burning should be avoided during these periods. See latest red flag warning and watches for additional details. A few snow showers will be possible Friday for mainly the Flint Hills into southeast Kansas. While accumulation is not expected, there could be a few snow bursts that reduce visibilities briefly. .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
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Strong winds were repeatedly measured at or above 40 mph sustained or gusts of 58 mph or greater several times during this time frame by ASOS.
A wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at the Newton airport. A few sustained wind speeds were also noted throughout the high wind event.
Strong winds with gusts to 58 mph and sustained at greater than 40 mph were noted throughout the period. High wind reports were also noted at McConnell AFB and Jabara Airport.
Several wind gusts to 58 mph were noted in and around the Sylvan Grove area along with numerous sustained readings over 40 mph.
A KDOT sensor on Highway 56 in Great Bend registered a 61 mph gust at 530 pm on the 14th. Besides that powerful wind gust, the sustained winds reached mph or greater several times on both the 14th and 15th.
The strong winds were measured by a KDOT sensor located on the north side of El Dorado lake. The winds began to subside as the day progressed.
Strong winds with gusts to 58 mph and sustained at greater than 40 mph were noted throughout the period.
Due to the lack of reports from the county and measured gusts or sustained winds meeting criteria in all surrounding counties, it is assumed criteria was met across a portion of the county in the form of wind gusts to 58 mph and or sustained hourly readings at or above 40 mph.
Due to the lack of reports from the county and measured gusts or sustained winds meeting criteria in all surrounding counties, it is assumed criteria was met across a portion of the county in the form of wind gusts to 58 mph and or sustained hourly readings at or above 40 mph.
Multiple wind sensors recorded wind gusts over 60 mph during the event. The highest wind gust was measured by a KDOT sensor of 61 mph. Also of note, the sustained winds were routinely recorded to be over 40 mph on the 15th.
A measured gust to 58 mph was reported early in the morning and remained gusty throughout the day.
A 58 mph wind gust was reported at the Hutchinson Municipal Airport. Also of note were a few hours in which the sustained winds remained at or above 40 mph.
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, January 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: 937965, 938130, 938066, 938152, 937966, 938125, 938064, 938156, 938161, 938127, 938144, 938132.