Multiple rounds of active weather creating flooding, wind damage and large hail overnight into 5/27, early in the day and again during the afternoon of 5/27.
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 TOP wrote it up.
Multiple rounds of active weather creating flooding, wind damage and large hail overnight into 5/27, early in the day and again during the afternoon of 5/27.
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 Topeka, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 26, 10:49 PM CST, 56 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 1149 PM CDT Wed May 26 2021 ...Update to aviation forecast discussion... .DISCUSSION... Issued at 337 PM CDT Wed May 26 2021 Latest water vapor satellite loop shows a mid level trough over western Montana and western Wyoming at 1945Z. Profilers show some perturbations emanating from the Rockies out into the high plains . Surface analysis had a dryline in eastern Colorado along or just east of the front range with a warm front extending from southeast Wyoming through northwest Kansas and into central Kansas at 18Z. Isolated storms continue to fire along the frontal boundary this afternoon in an unstable and moist environment with around 40 kts of effective shear. CAMS have had a difficult time resolving the convection today as they have not done well with the development in central Kansas along the warm front. Outflow from earlier convection helped to increase convergence along the warm front for additional storm development. For tonight, the mid level wave will move eastward increasing forcing for ascent across the central Plains. Expect storms to fire along the front range still and then congeal into a forward moving MCS across southern Nebraska and northern Kansas tonight. Storms in central Kansas may weaken as they move into a less favorable environment before reaching north central Kansas. Increasing low level jet will increase moisture advection into central and eastern Kansas tonight as seen in elongating moisture transport vectors. High PW air will be somewhere between 1 and 2 inches tonight across central and eastern Kansas. Expect high precipitation efficiency with the storms as they move eastward and expect some training of storms along the southwest flank of the MCS. Would not be surprised to see some 3 plus inches in some locations tonight. WIll continue with the Flash Flood Watch for tonight into Thursday morning. In addition on the south flank of the convection forecast soundings suggest storms may remain surface based with sweeping low level profiles as seen in hodographs, keeping the threat for a few tornadoes through a good portion of the night. Large hail and damaging winds will be the main hazards with the convection. Thursday will pose another challenge depending on how far south the outflow boundary goes across the forecast area. Models suggest that the front and outflow boundary may set up across parts of northeast and east central Kansas near the Turnpike. Another round of severe convection is expected across northeast and east central Kansas with the higher probability near and south of the boundary in the afternoon. Convection may develop by early afternoon and then move southeast out of the area by early evening. All modes of severe weather will be possible once again. Dry weather with cooler temperatures are expected for Friday through Saturday under the influence of a mid level ridge as well as a surface ridge into northeast Kansas. Rain chances return late in the weekend into early next week as a series of waves moves through the nearly westerly mid level flow across the Plains. Highs will be in the 60s to the lower 70s. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Thursday night) Issued at 1142 PM CDT Wed May 26 2021 Uncertainty in the evolution of convection overnight remains with scattered TSRA clustering west of KMHK while another cluster of TSRA centers over southern NE. Added TSRA at KMHK where storms are most likely to impact the area, with lesser confidence at KTOP/KFOE as short term models poorly handle the line of TSRA with some suggestion it passes just north of terminals aft 10Z. Therefore went with VCTS aft 10Z with activity clearing the sites between 13Z and 15Z. Additional TSRA is possible along the boundary by mid afternoon, although coverage should remain scattered and clear the sites before 01Z. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flash Flood Watch until 7 AM CDT Thursday for KSZ008>011-020>023- 034>037. Flash Flood Watch until 10 AM CDT Thursday for KSZ012-024-026- 038>040-055-056. && DISCUSSION...53 AVIATION...22
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Topeka KS 612 PM CDT Wed May 26 2021 KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-272315- Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Clay-Riley- Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris- Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson- 612 PM CDT Wed May 26 2021 This hazardous weather outlook is for east central...north central and northeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Severe thunderstorms are forecast to move into north central Kansas this evening and through northeast and east central Kansas overnight. With storms expected to be in a large cluster, damaging winds up to 80 mph and large hail up to golf ball sizes are the primary hazards. Although a tornado can not be ruled out if a discrete storm develops south of the main cluster. The thunderstorms are forecast to be efficient rain producers as well, with some locations possibly receiving 1 to 3 inches of rain in a short period of time. Because of this, a flash flood watch has been issued for tonight and into Thursday morning for areas along and north of a line from Ottawa to Junction City. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Severe thunderstorms could redevelop across east central Kansas Thursday afternoon. Again large hail, damaging winds and very heavy rainfall will be possible. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report any wind damage, large hail and rainfall amounts over one inch to the National Weather Service in Topeka. && More detailed information can be accessed at... http://www.weather.gov/top/sitrep
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
725 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0649 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SSE CONCORDIA 39.55N 97.65W
05/26/2021 M55 MPH CLOUD KS ASOS
ASOS STATION KCNK CONCORDIA.
&&
JWSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
739 PM CDT Wed May 26 2021
KSZ020>022-034>036-270145-
Geary-Clay-Cloud-Dickinson-Riley-Ottawa-
739 PM CDT Wed May 26 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHERN DICKINSON...NORTHWESTERN
GEARY...RILEY...SOUTHEASTERN OTTAWA...CLAY AND SOUTHEASTERN CLOUD
COUNTIES UNTIL 845 PM CDT...
At 738 PM CDT, emergency management reported strong winds from
dissipating showers gusting up to 55 mph. It is possible you may
hear no thunder and have little to no rain with these strong winds.
Locations impacted include...
Manhattan, Junction City, Clay Center, Minneapolis, Ogden, Wakefield,
Riley, Bennington, Milford, Leonardville, Morganville, Green, Culver,
Wells, Manchester, Longford, Oak Hill, Niles, Talmage and Idana.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 200 AM CDT for
central, north central, northeastern and east central Kansas.
LAT...LON 3957 9717 3940 9673 3909 9649 3899 9737
3895 9736 3896 9786 3898 9789
TIME...MOT...LOC 0038Z 250DEG 33KT 3913 9744PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
741 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0730 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SW WELLS 39.11N 97.58W
05/26/2021 E50 MPH OTTAWA KS EMERGENCY MNGR
&&
BDPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1200 AM CDT THU MAY 27 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1155 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SSE CONCORDIA 39.55N 97.65W
05/26/2021 M54 MPH CLOUD KS ASOS
ASOS STATION KCNK CONCORDIA.
&&
JPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1203 AM CDT THU MAY 27 2021
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1155 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 2 SSE CONCORDIA 39.55N 97.65W
05/26/2021 M54 MPH CLOUD KS ASOS
ASOS STATION KCNK CONCORDIA.
&&
JPSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
1237 AM CDT Thu May 27 2021
KSZ037-270630-
Morris-
1237 AM CDT Thu May 27 2021
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR MORRIS COUNTY UNTIL 130 AM CDT...
At 1237 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near White City to 5 miles east of Burdick.
Movement was east at 25 mph.
Pea size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with these
storms.
Locations impacted include...
Council Grove, White City, Dwight, Wilsey, Parkerville, Dunlap,
Latimer, Council Grove Lake and Burdick.
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.
&&
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 200 AM CDT for
east central Kansas.
LAT...LON 3852 9693 3881 9687 3887 9665 3887 9650
3883 9650 3883 9639 3874 9639 3874 9635
3852 9635
TIME...MOT...LOC 0537Z 257DEG 20KT 3877 9676 3855 9675
BaergThe Topeka radar (KTWX), 58 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:45 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 3 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple roads closed due to high water, including 2400 Rd to 2800 Rd.
Report of tree uprooted near Bluemont Elementary School.
Measured at Manhattan Regional Airport ASOS.
Measured at mesonet station FW6911 Manhattan.
Multiple roads closed, including Dunlap Road in the southeastern part of the county.
Tree limbs 1 inch in diameter broken, shingles blown off.
Measured at the kcnk asos.
Tree limbs down.
Power lines down.
Quarter size hail reported.
Trees reported down.
Shed blown down.
Skiddy Rd at G Rd is flooded.
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, May 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: 959709, 959705, 959706, 959707, 960126, 959712, 959714, 959715, 959716, 959717, 959721, 960128, 959722.