Tornadoes and Wildfire in Kansas, April 22 to 29, 2022

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 74 mph were recorded across Sherman county. The highest wind gust of 74 mph was recorded by a Mesonet station located 1 mile west-northwest of Colby, KS. Damage from these winds included a wall of a metal carport blown down 1 mile west-northwest of Oakley, KS.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 71 mph were recorded within Logan county. The highest wind gust of 71 mph was recorded by a Mesonet station located 3 miles west-southwest of Russell Springs, KS. Damage from these winds included a wall blown out of a carport 3 miles west of Oakley, KS.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 68 mph were recorded across Rawlins county. The highest wind gust of 68 mph was recorded by a Mesonet station located 4 miles north of Ludell, KS. Damage from these winds included small tree limbs down and siding torn off of a building at 5 miles north of Blakeman, KS.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 61 mph were recorded within Wallace county. The highest wind gust of 61 mph was recorded by a Mesonet station located 9 miles south-southeast of Sharon Springs, KS.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 64 mph were recorded across Cheyenne county. The highest wind gust of 64 mph was recorded by the KSYF AWOS located in St. Francis, KS. Damage from these winds included snapped power poles 2 miles east-southeast of Bird City, KS and a window panes blown out of a screen door in St. Francis, KS.

A public report was received via social media of 1/4 mile visibility 1 mile northeast of Bird City, KS. Wind gusts around this time were estimated to be around 50-55 mph from a nearby AWOS.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 59 mph were recorded within Greeley county. Three Mesonet stations within 10 miles of Tribune, KS recorded the maximum wind gust speed of 59 mph.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 74 mph were recorded across Sherman county. The highest wind gust of 74 mph was recorded by the KGLD ASOS located 1 mile north-northeast of Goodland. Damage from these winds included a semi-truck blown over near mile marker 13 on I-70 1 mile southeast of Caruso; a trailer blown over at mile marker 3 on I-70 1 mile southeast of Kanorado; a blown over carport, a snapped off 4-inch diameter tree branch, a blown over shed, and a damaged roof panel in Goodland; and a downed 10 ft. tall live tree of 6-8 inches in diameter at 13 miles north of Edson.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 70 mph were seen within Wichita county. Damage from these winds included a metal roof partially peeled up on a small office building in Leoti, KS (caused by an estimated 70 mph wind gust) and damage to a farm vehicle and barn wall 8 miles south of Selkirk, KS.

An off duty NWS employee reported near zero visibility due to blowing dust 5 miles south of Goodland, KS. Wind gusts from a nearby ASOS measured around 60 mph during this time.

A significant wildfire began in Decatur County, Kansas and moved into Furnas and Red Willow Counties in Nebraska. The fire was confined to the far northeastern part of the county as it started here and quickly burned north-northeast. A multi-mission aircraft from Colorado mapped the fire and showed it to have burned an area 28 miles long across 44,024 total acres, putting the number of acres burned in Decatur County around 1,000 acres, with Red Willow County at around 28,000 and 15,000 in Furnas County, NE. Resources from all over were deployed to help with this fire, including 3 Nebraska Air National Guard Blackhawk Helicopters and a Type 1 National Incident Management Team. Total personnel exceeded 100 at times. In addition, a NWS Incident Meteorologist (IMET) was deployed to this fire, the first deployment of an NWS IMET in our forecast area's history. Fighting the fire was difficult due to the rural/terrain area it was in, as well as persistent blowing dust.

A non-thunderstorm wind gust of 59 mph was recorded at a Mesonet station locations 5 miles south of Selden, KS.

A KDOT road camera recorded a video of an estimated 1/4 mile visibility due to blowing dust around mile marker 49 on I-70 1 mile south-southeast of Levant, KS. Wind gusts of around 55 mph from a nearby AWOS were reported at this time.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 62 mph were recorded within Gove county. The highest wind gust of 62 mph was recorded by a Mesonet station located in Campus, KS.

A wildfire was reported south of Marienthal, KS that started due to an unknown cause. The fire was reported have covered a 8 mile by 2 mile (10,240 acre) area between County Roads R and Z. As the wildfire stayed within pastures, the only damage noted was that a cornfield was burned in the fire. No injuries were reported. A portion of Kansas Highway 96 near Marienthal, KS was closed during the fire due to smoke reducing visibility greatly. Rainfall from storms in the area helped in the firefighting efforts to put out the fire.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 58 mph were recorded within Decatur county. The highest wind gust of 58 mph was recorded by a Mesonet station located 7 miles northeast of Oberlin, KS. Visibility down to 1.25 miles due to blowing dust was also reported toward the end of this period 1 mile north-northwest of Oberlin, KS.

Multiple reports received of half-dollar to golf ball sized hail in the town of Leoti.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 60 mph were recorded within Norton county. The highest wind gust of 60 mph was recorded by a personal weather station located 5 miles southwest of Norton, KS.

Multiple reports of hail associated with second storm that moved through Leoti. Hail ranged in size from half-dollar to baseball in size over a duration of 10 minutes. Hail busted windows in a home and damaged a car. There was one injury where someone was hit in the head by the large hail while retrieving a dog stuck outside.

A small metal office building had the metal roof partially peeled up by the strong thunderstorm wind gusts.

Spotter reported a mix of nickel to quarter sized hail.

Reported via Weather Underground station kkscolby35.

Reported via Weather Underground station kkscolby28. A sustained speed of 78 mph was also recorded at the time.

Reported via KOEL at the Oakley Municipal Airport. Heavy rain also caused reduced visibility of 1.5 miles.

Reported via KCBK at Colby Shaltz Field.

Nickel to quarter sized hail reported.

Reported via Weather Underground station kkscolby13.

Non-thunderstorm wind gusts up to 72 mph were recorded within Graham county. The highest wind gust of 72 mph was recorded by the KHLC ASOS located 1 mile east of Hill City, KS.

Strong winds associated with the outflow of a thunderstorm moving across eastern Rawlins and western Decatur counties produced estimated 70 mph winds. Small tree limbs were reported down and siding torn off a building.

Nickel to quarter sized hail reported.

Measured by a hand anemometer.

A damaging quasi-linear convective system (QLCS) tornado moved across Sharon Springs, Kansas during the late evening/overnight hours of April 22nd, 2022. Maximum winds were found to be around 110 mph, which makes this tornado an EF-1, just short of an EF-2. The worst damage was noted at the KDOT station near Highway 40 where a cinder block building was toppled and a truck shed was completely destroyed, as well as the CHS facility where the office building had its roof completely torn off. Throughout town, there were many tree limbs broken, tree trunks broken, and trees uprooted. Many buildings and vehicles had broken windows. Power poles were broken or downed throughout town. Other damage included several rolled trailers (ag-related, RVs, or work trailers), fences blown down, shingles off roofs, and other wind-related damage.

Three power poles reported down.

As the line of storms moved over the town of Wallace, eight power poles were knocked down near the For Wallace Post Cemetery.

Straight line winds winds blew over a semi truck on I-70 near County Road 9.

Straight-line winds leveled an old outbuilding. The building was reported to be in poor repair prior to the storm.

WSR 88D confirmed a tornado debris signature in northern Logan County that eventually crossed into southern Thomas County. In addition, a power pole was down near wear this signature started, near the intersection of county roads Day Dream and 260 just northwest of Page City, KS. This was a Quasi-Linear Convective System (QLCS) tornado.

Straight-line winds caused damage to occur to a shed in the town of Levant.

The tornado that formed in northern Logan County, confirmed by an emergency management damage report of a power pole down and tornadic debris signature detected on NWS Goodland WSR 88D, continued into extreme southern Thomas County. No damage was reported in this very rural area. Times estimated by radar. This tornado was a Quasi-Linear Convective System (QLCS) tornado.

NWS Goodland WSR-88D confirmed a tornado moved across extreme northern Logan County. The tornado began just southeast of Page City and proceeded north-northeast into extreme southern Thomas County. No damage was reported with this tornado. This tornado was a Quasi-Linear Convective System (QLCS) tornado.

Straight-line winds knocked a grain bin trailer onto another farm vehicle and also ripped off portions of a metal barn wall.

NWS Goodland WSR-88D confirmed a tornado moved across extreme southern Thomas County. The tornado began just southeast of Page City in Logan County and proceeded north-northeast into Thomas County. No damage was reported with this tornado. This tornado was a Quasi-Linear Convective System (QLCS) tornado.

Straight-line winds caused a grain bin on the north side of a property to be dented near the top and pushed out the bottom third of a metal building's wall on the south side of the property. There were also some tree branches of an unknown size blown down.

Straight-line winds lifted metal roof panels off an older outbuilding. The building was in decent condition prior to the storm.

A quasi-linear convective system (QLCS) tornado formed in far northern Sheridan County before crossing into southern Decatur County. Damage consisted of highway signs down and/or twisted, a tree trunk was snapped, a few blown over irrigation pivots, and a railroad crossing gate was destroyed.

A quasi-linear convective system (QLCS) tornado formed in far northern Sheridan County before crossing into southern Decatur County. Damage in Decatur County was a small farm outbuilding blown over near the end of the track. Approximate end point estimated by radar.

Straight-line winds caused metal roof panels to be ripped off an outer building near Oberlin, Kansas.

Upon further review and information/video gathered, it was determined that a tornado moved across extreme southern Sheridan County. This tornado was confirmed by damage from NWS Storm Survey, tornado chaser video, and a brief/weak tornadic debris signature on NWS Goodland WSR 88D radar imagery. Damage consisted of several large healthy tree limbs snapped, one treat snapped near the base, and a power pole down. Based on the damage, maximum wind speed was determined to be 100 mph.

Straight-line winds knocked down several power poles near the intersection of Highway 123, County Road 10 E, and County Road 140 N.

Straight-line winds snapped a living tree roughly 6 inches in diameter.

Straight-line winds damaged a metal shed just north of Norcatur, Kansas.

Straight-line winds caused roof damage to the old Norcatur school.

Straight-line winds snapped a number of power poles and damaged a small barn.

Straight-line winds ripped metal tin panels off a roof of a barn.

Straight-line winds blew a few shingles off a roof in Hill City.