During the late afternoon hours, isolated thunderstorms developed over portions of Northwest Kansas. One storm in Sheridan County produced up to 60 mph wind gusts along with penny to quarter sized hail.
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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 late afternoon hours, isolated thunderstorms developed over portions of Northwest Kansas. One storm in Sheridan County produced up to 60 mph wind gusts along with penny to quarter sized hail. Another storm produced flash flooding in the city of Leoti.
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 Sep 5, 3:02 PM CST, 58 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Goodland KS 302 PM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday Morning) Issued at 136 PM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021 The forecast period begins with northwesterly flow over the area with an amplifying ridge over the western CONUS. A dryline is currently moving east over the CWA as dewpoints are in the mid 20s near Limon to 45 in Goodland and 60 in Colby. The dryline has the potential create enough lift for isolated storms mainly along and east of an Oberlin to Colby to Tribune. Visible satellite does show a CU field developing in that area as of 19Z. Forecast soundings over Gove county does indicate a cap in place around the 750mb level with 1300 j/kg of DCAPE, 2000-2500 j/k of MUCAPE, lapse rates around 8C and 30+knots of shear which would be sufficient for perhaps quarter size hail and 50-60mph wind gusts IF storms are are able to break the cap and form. If storms do form they should dissipate with the loss of diurnal heating through the afternoon. The other main issue is behind the dry is elevated to near critical fire weather conditions. The near critical conditions look to remain confined to east Colorado as the dryline has moved through there around 17-18Z. Afternoon highs continue to look on track in the mid to upper 80s to perhaps a few locales hitting 90. Overnight tonight looks to be clear as overnight lows fall into the 50s to low 60s across the entire area. For Labor Day, sunny and warm temperatures return to the area with afternoon highs in the 90s. Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are again expected as RH values fall into the lower teens across east Colorado and the mid teens to low 20s towards Highway 25. Winds will again be the limiting factor with gusts around 15- 20mph throughout the afternoon. Overnight lows for Monday will be in the mid 50s to low 60s. .LONG TERM...(Tuesday through Sunday) Issued at 245 PM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021 The long term period from Tuesday through Sunday remains dry with the main concern being the potential for elevated to near critical fire weather conditions during the afternoon hours. The large area of high pressure aloft migrates from the Intermountain region on Tuesday across the 4-corners region on Wednesday and into the southern Rockies and southern High Plains on Thursday and Friday before it flattens and diminishes over the weekend as a series of upper short wave troughs move through the westerly flow along the U.S./Canadian border region. A trough/cold front at the surface moves east of the area early Tuesday with a slightly cooler airmass moving into the region that brings high temperatures back into the 80s and closer to normal for this time of year on Tuesday and Wednesday. On the back side of the surface trough/front, north/northeast winds may end up being a little stronger during the day on Tuesday than they have been in days prior given the increase in the pressure gradient around the surface trough. Fire Weather conditions may end up being elevated on Tuesday with an increase in the wind speeds, but with cooler temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday, expect RH values to be above critical thresholds. However, with a transition to mostly south/southwest winds and temperatures back up in the middle to upper 90s on Thursday and Friday, expect the western sections of the forecast area along and west of the eastern Colorado border to see RH values down near or below the 15% critical threshold. Wind speeds may not be as high those days, so elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are expected rather than critical conditions. Another trough/front moves through the area on Saturday, bringing temperatures down a few degrees and the RH values up slightly for Saturday and Sunday. Conditions will still be dry, warm, and a little breezy during the afternoon, but fire weather conditions are not expected to reach critical values at this time on either of those days. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Monday afternoon) Issued at 1103 AM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021 An overall decent day for aviation as VFR conditions are expected throughout the entire TAF forecast period for KGLD and KMCK. A wind shift shortly after 18z looks likely for KMCK with the passing of a boundary as winds go from south to north. Gustier than previously forecasted winds at KMCK have been observed over the past 1-2 hours so opted to go with NAMNEST for winds through 21Z for KMCK terminal as it is best picking up the stronger gusts. With the passing of the boundary a slight chance for isolated thunderstorms exists to the south and east of the two terminals. At this time it appears as if the better forcing for any storms will remain away from KMCK and KGLD through the afternoon but will need to keep an eye out for VCTS through 01Z. Overnight winds will shift back to the southwest as ridging moves over the High Plains. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && SHORT TERM...TT LONG TERM...LOCKHART AVIATION...TT
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Goodland KS 245 PM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021 COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-062045- Yuma-Kit Carson-Cheyenne-Rawlins-Decatur-Norton-Sherman-Thomas- Sheridan-Graham-Wallace-Logan-Gove-Greeley-Wichita-Dundy-Hitchcock- Red Willow- 245 PM MDT Sun Sep 5 2021 /345 PM CDT Sun Sep 5 2021/ This hazardous weather outlook is for extreme southwest Nebraska... northwest Kansas and east central Colorado. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... Isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening along and east of a Oberlin to Colby to Tribune line. Severe weather is not currently anticipated but storms could contain small hail and gusty winds along with dangerous lightning if they are able to form. Elevated to near critical fire weather is expected mainly along and west of Highway 27 this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SUNDAY... Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are expected for Monday afternoon for areas along and west of Highway 25. Elevated fire weather is then again possible Thursday and Friday afternoon. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected this afternoon or evening at this time.
The Goodland radar (KGLD), 101 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:01 UTC.
1 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Wichita County Law Enforcement reported at least 6 inches of water on roads within the city of Leoti due to heavy rain. A nearby rain gauge reported 0.51 inches of rain within a 15 minute period during the event. At times the rain was so heavy, visibility was reduced to half a mile or less.
A reported 60 mph wind gust occurred as a strong thunderstorm moved over the location.
A trained spotter observed penny to quarter sized hail as a thunderstorm moved over the location.
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, September 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: 985616, 985716, 985717.