A prolonged period of dry conditions and an unusually dry April, led to Severe (D2) drought expanding during the month of April. As the month progressed more areas in central Kansas climbed into the extreme (D3) drought category.
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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 prolonged period of dry conditions and an unusually dry April, led to Severe (D2) drought expanding during the month of April. As the month progressed more areas in central Kansas climbed into the extreme (D3) drought category.
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 Mar 31, 10:19 PM CST, 1 hour 41 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 1119 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Saturday night) Issued at 259 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 Summary: An active pattern is expected to continue through the forecast period with multiple chances for showers and storms. Highs will generally be seasonable ranging from the 60s to 70s for most of the forecast period with a cold shot expected towards the end of the period. The closed upper level low that brought daily record breaking snowfall to portions of central and south-central Kansas today will quickly push east. Ridging will briefly return before another progressive shortwave trough pushes through our region Friday. There will be a chance for showers and storms out ahead of this trough with the highest chances over south-central Kansas. Short range models differ on the extent of the QPF with the 12z NAM and HRW FV3 runs showing 0.25-0.75" of rain for south-central Kansas. Meanwhile, the rest of the Convective Allowing Models (CAMS) have a stout low level dry layer and keep QPF down from a trace to 0.25" at best. Just about all the mesoscale models show PWATS of 0.7 or higher which is above the moving average for this time of year. NAM and HRW FV3 have PWATs closer to 0.8 which is above the 75th percentile. In that scenario some of the higher totals could play out. Further north PWATS are closer to average and with drier air at the low levels. Could still see some rain, but think QPF will stay low at this point. Could see some strong storms, but severe weather is not expected due to lack of moisture at the surface. By Saturday the through will have moved through leaving us with a dry spring day. .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Thursday) Issued at 259 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 Another shortwave will move through the northern Plains Sunday followed by another larger but weak trough Sunday night. The chance for showers and storms will once again return along with a weak cold front that will bring slightly cooler highs on Monday. Energy will dive southward on Tuesday forming a deep trough over the central U.S. This will bring continued rain chances to the region through midweek. A cold front will push through Wednesday with colder air filtering in towards the end of the week. Model trends will need to be watched as the positioning of the upper low will determine how cold it gets. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Friday night) Issued at 1119 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 VFR conditions expected to prevail thru most of the forecast valid period. South winds will increase on Friday ahead of the next upper trof approaching from the Rockies. An increase in high clouds down to into the mid-levels is expected by midday through Friday afternoon. Scattered showers with some MVFR cigs are expected across south central Kansas Friday evening. KED && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 259 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 Elevated Fire concerns will return tomorrow for most of central and southern Kansas. Gusty winds will be the main driving force with favorable low relative humidity values in the low to mid 30s but higher end values in the low 20s are not expected at this time. There will be some potential for elevated fire weather next week with the storm system that will move in during the middle of the week. Uncertainty still exists in the evolution of the trough and timing of any fronts, but the potential could be there for a synoptic fire event. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 33 67 38 66 / 0 30 60 0 Hutchinson 30 66 34 65 / 0 40 50 0 Newton 32 66 36 64 / 0 20 50 0 ElDorado 32 65 39 64 / 0 10 60 0 Winfield-KWLD 32 67 39 66 / 0 20 60 0 Russell 30 66 30 66 / 0 40 30 0 Great Bend 31 67 31 66 / 0 40 30 0 Salina 29 67 34 66 / 0 40 40 0 McPherson 30 66 34 64 / 0 40 40 0 Coffeyville 31 67 44 67 / 0 0 60 0 Chanute 31 66 44 64 / 0 0 60 0 Iola 30 64 44 64 / 0 0 60 0 Parsons-KPPF 30 66 44 66 / 0 0 60 0 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...None. && SHORT TERM...CRW LONG TERM...CRW AVIATION...KED FIRE WEATHER...CRW
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 308 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-012015- 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- 308 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022 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...Friday through Wednesday A very high grassland fire danger is expected Friday afternoon, mainly along and west of the Flint Hills. Scattered showers and perhaps a few thunderstorms will move east across the region late Friday afternoon through Friday night. While severe weather is not expected, the strongest activity could produce gusty winds and brief heavy rain. Periodic shower and thunderstorm chances may increase across the region late Sunday through early next week, especially across southern and southeast Kansas. While a few strong thunderstorms are possible, widespread severe weather appears unlikely at this time. A very high grassland fire danger is possible once again Sunday and again Wednesday and Thursday. .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.
11 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Severe drought (D2) continued across the county, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
Severe drought (D2) continued across the county, due to below normal rainfall during the month. Salina Airport was 2 inches below normal for April.
Severe drought (D2) continued across the county, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
Severe drought (D2) continued across the county, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
Severe drought (D2) expanded to Extreme drought (D3) during the month, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
Extreme drought (D3) continued during the month, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
Extreme drought (D3) continued during the month, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
Extreme drought (D3) continued during the month, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
Extreme drought (D3) continued during the month, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
Severe drought (D2) expanded to Extreme drought (D3) during the month, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
Severe drought (D2) continued across the county, due to below normal rainfall during the month.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, April 2022
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: 1016273, 1016274, 1016275, 1016276, 1016278, 1016279, 1016280, 1016282, 1016284, 1016285, 1016287.