During the month the drought status worsened for most of Northwest Kansas. By the end of the month Rawlins and Decatur counties had fallen to D3 Extreme Drought.
Every event with a place to put it; 9 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 GLD wrote it up.
During the month the drought status worsened for most of Northwest Kansas. By the end of the month Rawlins and Decatur counties had fallen to D3 Extreme Drought. Otherwise the only county not in D2 Severe Drought was Wallace. Up to four inches of precipitation occurred, with the highest amounts in Norton County. This was a departure of a half inch to three inches below the normal precipitation amounts of one to three inches.
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 Mar 31, 10:00 PM CST, 2 hours earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Goodland KS 1000 PM MDT Thu Mar 31 2022 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday night) Issued at 1243 PM MDT Thu Mar 31 2022 18Z Water vapor imagery and RAP analysis indicated short wave trough moving into the region with another strong short wave trough digging into Montana behind it. At the surface, ridge was centered over eastern CWA, with lee trough developing across eastern Colorado. Fairly quiet weather will continue through the overnight hours as aforementioned short wave ridge moves over the area and trough intensifies. Net result will be for winds to shift to the southeast and increase to around 10 mph through the night. Main concern for Friday will be cold front sweeping across the area as next short wave trough moves through. Should see the front in eastern Colorado by 15z, entering KS around 18z and through the entire area by the late afternoon. There will be potential for some light rain showers along the front as mesoscale forcing intensifies and weak instability is present. These should be relatively fast moving though, so do not expect much accumulation at any one location. Winds will also strengthen behind the front with gusts to around 40 mph expected by mid day. Overnight winds will diminish as system moves away allowing for colder air to settle over area. With light winds, expect lows in 20s across entire area. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 129 PM MDT Thu Mar 31 2022 The extended period starts with zonal flow across the area. A front moves through the area Sunday bringing breezy northerly winds of 15- 25 mph and gusts up to 35 mph. RH values will be in the upper teens to low 20s across the area resulting in elevated fire weather conditions during the afternoon. The start of the work week sees the potential for a transition into a more active pattern. A long wave trough develops over the SW CONUS whereas another low pressure system develops across the British Columbia/Alberta provinces in Canada. Weak moisture return will provide the potential for showers and overnight snow showers as temperatures cool. The middle portion of the week has the potential for a gusty to strong wind event, as the low from Canada moves SE and is blocked by a developing ridge over the CONUS; pattern recognition is supportive of a potentially impactful wind event. The other potential hazard is the possibility of blowing dust. Local research shows the potential for blowing dust with the ECMWF showing impressive 0-2km lapse rates greater than 9 C/KM and 0.5-1km wind speeds greater than 45 knots. The GFS is not as widespread with the overall parameters. RH values are currently forecasted to be in the upper teens to low 20s over the area; this along with the prolonged dry spell the area has seen may support the risk for wildfires especially with the strong anticipated winds. Future forecast packages will need to keep an eye on this system as a better handle on the evolution of the system develops. Temperatures for the period will be will be fluctuate day to day from the 60-70s to the 50-60s with these multiple disturbances. The warmest days currently look to be Saturday and Tuesday. Overnight lows will be fairly consistent each night in the 30s through the first half of the week before the slightly cooler air moves in for the latter portions with low in the upper 20s to mid 30s.&& && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Friday night) Issued at 1000 PM MDT Thu Mar 31 2022 KGLD...VFR conditions are expected through the period. A south wind around 12kts at taf issuance will continue through 12z then veer to the southwest, west and northwest through 16z as a cold front moves through. Northwest winds gusting to around 30kts are expected from 17z-23z. After 00z winds quickly subside, becoming light and variable by 04z. Some light rain showers are possible around 18z. If the NAM model is correct, sub VFR cigs would be needed in the 18z-21z timeframe. KMCK...VFR conditions are expected through the period. An east- southeast wind under 10kts at taf issuance will continue through 16z then quickly shift to the west by 17z. From 19z-23z northwest winds gusting up to 30kts are expected as a cold front moves through. After 02z a light northwest wind is expected. Rain showers will be possible around 19z. If the NAM model verifies, sub VFR cigs would be needed around 21z-23z. && .GLD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KS...NONE. CO...NONE. NE...NONE. && SHORT TERM...JRM LONG TERM...TT AVIATION...99
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Goodland KS 156 PM MDT Thu Mar 31 2022 COZ090>092-KSZ001>004-013>016-027>029-041-042-NEZ079>081-012000- Yuma-Kit Carson-Cheyenne-Rawlins-Decatur-Norton-Sherman-Thomas- Sheridan-Graham-Wallace-Logan-Gove-Greeley-Wichita-Dundy-Hitchcock- Red Willow- 156 PM MDT Thu Mar 31 2022 /256 PM CDT Thu Mar 31 2022/ This hazardous weather outlook is for extreme southwest Nebraska... northwest Kansas and east central Colorado. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT... No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... Elevated fire weather is expected on Saturday afternoon along and west of Kansas Highway 25. Elevated to near critical fire weather is possible on Sunday afternoon across the entire area with wind gusts of 25-35 mph. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated today or tonight.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
9 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
Precipitation amounts for the county ranged from 0.01-0.50. This was one to two inches below the normal precipitation amounts of 1.50-3.00.
Precipitation amounts for the county ranged from 0.01-0.50. This was an inch to three inches below the normal precipitation amounts of 2.00-3.00.
Precipitation amounts for the county ranged from 0.10-1.50, with the highest amounts in the east half of the county. This was half an inch to two inches below the normal precipitation amounts of 1.50-3.00.
Precipitation amounts for the county ranged from 0.01-1.00. This was an inch to three inches below the normal precipitation amounts of 1.50-3.00.
Precipitation amounts for the county ranged from 0.25-1.50. This was half an inch to two inches below the normal precipitation amounts of 2.00-3.00.
Precipitation amounts for the county ranged from 0.25-2.00. This was half an inch to two inches below the normal precipitation amounts of 2.00-3.00.
Precipitation amounts for the county ranged from 0.25-4.00, with the highest amounts in the north half of the county. This was an inch to three inches below the normal precipitation amounts of 2.00-3.00.
Precipitation amounts for the county ranged from 0.01-1.00. This was one to two inches below the normal precipitation amounts of 1.50-2.00.
Precipitation amounts for the county ranged from 0.01-1.00. This was half an inch to two inches below the normal precipitation amounts of 1.00-2.00.
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: 1020638, 1020641, 1020642, 1020643, 1020644, 1020645, 1020646, 1020639, 1020640.