During the afternoon hours on August 13th, 2023, a weak cold front sagged southward across the area. Widely scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed along the front as it slowly pushed southward during the late afternoon and evening hours.
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 ICT wrote it up.
During the afternoon hours on August 13th, 2023, a weak cold front sagged southward across the area. Widely scattered strong to severe thunderstorms developed along the front as it slowly pushed southward during the late afternoon and evening hours. These storms produced wind damage as a result of wind gusts around 60 to 75 mph along with up to nickel sized hail. Minor flooding was also reported in portions of southeast Kansas.
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 Aug 13, 1:33 PM CST, 3 hours 19 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 233 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday night) Issued at 230 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023 A cold front was bisecting northwest Kansas early this afternoon where northwest winds were gusting over 30 knots. Meanwhile, elevated showers and storms with pockets of heavy rain remained across much of eastern Kansas. These elevated storms were being fed by continued mid-lvl waa. Although this mid-lvl waa is progged to diminish in areal coverage we may see it continue impacting southern KS and southeast KS through the evening hours before the mid/upper trough axis sweeps across the area. With some breaks in the clouds this afternoon, moderate to strong destabilization should lead to some increased potential for redevelopment late in the day along any residual outflow boundaries. Showers and thunderstorms will be most likely along a southward moving cold front this evening as a shortwave trough sweeps across the Central Plains. We'll see increasing large-scale forcing for ascent as the shortwave trough approaches and the entrance region to the H25 jet develops this evening. Shear and buoyancy combinations will support severe storms with heavy rain potential given warm layer cloud depth approximations of 4000-4500 meters and PWATS over 2 inches. Mon-Tue...A stable post-frontal regime will overspread the region on Mon with seasonably cool highs around 80 anticipated. This airmass will begin to modify on Tue while remaining seasonably cool with highs in the 80-85 degree range anticipated. Wed...Southerly low level flow will return to the Central Plains towards the middle of the week as sfc high pressure translates eastward away from the area. Shortwave ridging will help start the warming trend with highs on Wed returning to more typical Aug temperatures. Afternoon values are expected to range from the upper 80s in far southeast KS to the lower 90s in central KS. .LONG TERM...(Thursday through Sunday) Issued at 230 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023 A shortwave trough impacting the Great Lakes area will drive a weak backdoor front into the area on Thu but it is expected to have a limited impact on sensible weather with seasonable highs in the lower 90s anticipated. The subtropical ridge will overspread the region towards the end of the week and into the weekend bringing hot and dry weather back to the Great Plains. Highs are expected to climb above the century mark this weekend with very little chance for wetting rain. This hot and dry pattern may extend into the beginning of next week. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Monday afternoon) Issued at 1151 AM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023 Elevated convection will linger thru mid-afternoon across portions of central and southeast Kansas. Otherwise, a better chance for organized strong to severe convection is expected to develop along a strong cold front late this afternoon through early tonight. While mainly VFR away from convection, expect MVFR/IFR vsbys in rain with strong and gusty outflow winds. A prevailing north to northwest wind will become gusty behind the front. KED && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Wichita-KICT 64 81 58 84 / 60 0 0 0 Hutchinson 62 83 56 85 / 40 0 0 0 Newton 62 81 57 84 / 50 0 0 0 ElDorado 63 80 57 81 / 60 0 0 0 Winfield-KWLD 65 81 58 82 / 70 10 0 0 Russell 60 83 56 87 / 20 0 0 0 Great Bend 60 81 56 84 / 20 0 0 0 Salina 62 83 57 87 / 30 0 0 0 McPherson 61 81 56 84 / 40 0 0 0 Coffeyville 68 82 59 81 / 80 20 0 0 Chanute 65 80 58 80 / 70 10 0 0 Iola 64 79 57 79 / 70 10 0 0 Parsons-KPPF 67 82 58 81 / 80 10 0 0 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && SHORT TERM...MWM LONG TERM...MWM AVIATION...KED
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 412 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-142115- 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- 412 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight Severe thunderstorms will be possible across much of the area this evening and tonight. The main concerns will be damaging winds of 60 to 70 mph and 1 to 2 inch diameter hail. A brief tornado cannot be ruled out. Heavy rain may lead to ponding of water and localized flooding. Heat indices will range from 100 to 103 degrees across southern Kansas early this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Severe storms may be ongoing early Monday morning. The main concerns will be damaging winds of 70 mph and 1.5 inch hail. Heavy rainfall in storms is expected and may lead to localized flooding. Heat indices will range from 100 to 106 across central, south central, and southeast Kansas on Saturday. .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
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
454 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023
KSZ052-132230-
Marion KS-
454 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Marion
County through 530 PM CDT...
At 453 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Ramona, or 6 miles southwest of Herington, moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Ramona, Tampa, and Lost Springs.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3850 9693 3853 9717 3861 9713 3861 9693
TIME...MOT...LOC 2153Z 280DEG 23KT 3862 9704
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
LAWSONSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
512 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023
KSZ052-132245-
Marion KS-
512 PM CDT Sun Aug 13 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of northeastern Marion
County through 545 PM CDT...
At 512 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Lincolnville, or 9 miles south of Herington, moving southeast at 25
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Lincolnville and Pilsen.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM CDT for
central Kansas.
&&
LAT...LON 3849 9706 3857 9693 3852 9693 3852 9682
3838 9682
TIME...MOT...LOC 2212Z 314DEG 23KT 3853 9692
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
LAWSONThe Topeka radar (KTWX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:54 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
This wind gust was measured from a Kansas Mesonet site near Strong City.
There was nickel sized hail and 50 mph wind gusts reported.
Tree damage and minor damage to buildings was reported as a result of strong outflow winds.
This was an estimated wind gust.
There was a report of some street flooding in Iola. This was a delayed report and the time was estimated by radar.
The public reported estimated wind gusts around 50 to 60 mph.
This was a measured wind gust. There was also pea sized hail reported.
A transformer was blown and powerlines were knocked down. A tree caught fire as a result.
There was am underpass flooded in Chanute. Barricades were put up as a result.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, August 2023
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: 1130683, 1130685, 1130686, 1130689, 1130707, 1130708, 1130709, 1130711, 1130715.