A line of severe storms produced damaging winds across much of central and southcentral Kansas during the evening and nighttime hours of August 14th. There were several reports of structural damage with wind gusts up to 80 mph reported for the strongest of these storms.
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.
A line of severe storms produced damaging winds across much of central and southcentral Kansas during the evening and nighttime hours of August 14th. There were several reports of structural damage with wind gusts up to 80 mph reported for the strongest of these storms. Schools in the towns of Douglass and Sedgwick were cancelled the following day due to damage caused by these storms. These storms also brought frequent cloud-to-ground lightning, and a person was injured by a nearby lightning strike.
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 14, 1:41 PM CST, 3 hours 17 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 241 PM CDT Wed Aug 14 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Storms later this afternoon and evening primarily in central KS. Biggest threats appear to be quarter sized hail and 70 mph wind gusts. - Highs in the middle to upper 90s through the end of the week, with a Heat Advisory in effect in south and southeast KS. - Seasonable temperatures and opportunities for isolated showers and storms through the beginning of the week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 241 PM CDT Wed Aug 14 2024 Water vapor imagery indicates an upper ridge situated over the ArkLaTex region as an upper trough approaches the Central Plains from the west. At the surface, a warm front sits across the state and stretches down into Arkansas. TONIGHT THRU THURSDAY... Latest CAM guidance suggests isolated to scattered showers and storms developing in central KS after 21Z as a surface trough makes its way through the state. Instability and shear look supportive enough for quarter sized hail, but impressive DCAPE values (1200+ J/kg) will shift the primary storm threat to damaging wind gusts (70+ mph) with the strongest storms as the evening progresses. The front passing through the state this evening will be responsible for touching off scattered showers and storms later tomorrow afternoon and evening across southeast KS. This activity should exit the region after dark. Hot conditions will prevail over south central and southeast KS, with high temperatures in the middle to upper 90s. Afternoon heat indices near 105 degrees are likely in far south and southeast KS, so a Heat Advisory has been issued for those areas. FRIDAY THRU WEDNESDAY... Additional shortwave energy is progged to roll in off the High Plains later on Friday. Details are still a bit uncertain at this time, but CAPE/shear combo appears decent enough to produce a handful of severe storms. Went with somewhat low pops for now to reflect relative uncertainty with coverage. Northwest flow aloft will return through the weekend, allowing for the persistence of seasonable high temperatures in the low to middle 90s through the beginning of next week. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1234 PM CDT Wed Aug 14 2024 VFR conditions are expected to prevail at all sites through the period. The biggest aviation concern continues to be chances for showers and storms later this afternoon into the evening for KRSL-KSLN-KHUT-KGBD. Current model guidance suggests storm initiation around 23Z near KRSL and eventual eastward movement throughout the early evening hours. Greatest confidence in coverage remains in central KS at this time, so with lower confidence in southward extent, will leave KICT out for now but will AMD as necessary. && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for KSZ049-051>053- 067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100. && DISCUSSION...JWK AVIATION...JWK
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 308 PM CDT Wed Aug 14 2024 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-152015- 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 Wed Aug 14 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight Widely scattered storms will be possible late today and tonight along a slow moving frontal boundary. The strongest activity could produce up to quarter sized hail, wind gusts up to 70 mph, and locally heavy rain. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday A Heat Advisory is in effect tomorrow for locations in south and southeast Kansas. Afternoon heat indices will climb to around 105 agrees. A few strong storms with locally heavy rain and strong winds will be possible across southeast Kansas on Thursday afternoon. Chances for scattered showers and storms will prevail across south central and southeast Kansas through the weekend. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated tonight. && For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at: https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=ict
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
531 PM CDT Wed Aug 14 2024
KSZ047-050-142300-
Rice KS-Barton KS-
531 PM CDT Wed Aug 14 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WESTERN RICE AND SOUTHEASTERN
BARTON COUNTIES THROUGH 600 PM CDT...
At 531 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 5
miles west of Raymond, or 7 miles southeast of Ellinwood, moving
northeast at 35 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 hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Lyons, Chase, Geneseo, Raymond, Frederick, and Silica.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3852 9834 3852 9802 3819 9840 3824 9847
3826 9847 3826 9850 3831 9858
TIME...MOT...LOC 2231Z 229DEG 32KT 3828 9848
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
DARMOFALThe Wichita radar (KICT), 114 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:00 UTC.
32 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotter reported wind gusts up to 70 mph. Their car was shaking, and a significant number of tree limbs were down.
Spotters in Ellsworth estimated wind gusts up to 65 mph. There were also images on social media of large tree branches down in Ellsworth.
A Kansas State Mesonet site recorded a wind gust of 77 mph. Around the same time, a trained spotter reported a power pole down nearby at 14th Avenue and Old Highway 81.
A trained spotter estimated wind gusts around 70 to 80 mph.
A trained spotter reported large trees uprooted along with some structural damage. Some debris was strewn about in a field.
A trained spotter reported tree limbs were down from estimated 60 mph wind gusts.
Nineteen empty train cars were derailed from thunderstorm wind gusts. Estimated winds in the area were around 70 mph. Meanwhile, a nearby mesonet observation recorded a 62 mph at around the same time.
A large tree was knocked down at 260th and Kanza.
Trained spotter estimated wind gusts around 60 mph.
Six-inch diameter tree limbs were downed.
Emergency manager estimates wind gusts around 55 to 60 mph.
Emergency manager reported a measured 63 mph wind gust near 260th and Indigo.
Tree branches around 2 to 5 inches in diameter were downed in town.
Estimated wind gusts around 60 mph. Branches smaller than the spotter's wrist were down in his yard.
Emergency manager estimated wind gusts around 60 mph.
Trained spotter estimated wind gusts around 65 mph.
Trained spotter estimated wind gusts around 60 mph.
Tree damage across town with a couple of trees knocked over. Some damage to powerlines was noted as well.
A utility pole was knocked down and blocking a road.
Several large trees were uprooted throughout the town of Sedgwick.
Emergency management relayed a report from emergency medical service crews of an individual transported to the hospital after a person's ear drum ruptured from a nearby lightning strike.
Measured wind gust of 63 mph from the Kansas State Mesonet near Elmdale.
Large electrical transmission poles snapped roughly 6 feet above the ground. Emergency management said that there were 17 power poles damaged near the area. A nearby outbuilding had a partial collapse, and some of the roof was torn off. There was tree damage reported around the area as well.
Measured wind gust of 63 mph at McConnell Air Force Base.
Emergency manager said that columns were moved on a porch and small limbs were down at a property west of Altoona.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, August 2024
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: 1207951, 1207952, 1207953, 1207955, 1207954, 1207956, 1207957, 1207958, 1209225, 1209226, 1209227, 1209229, 1209230, 1209231, 1209232, 1209233, 1209234, 1209236, 1209237, 1209238, 1209242, 1209243, 1209244, 1209245, 1209246, 1209247, 1215106, 1209249, 1209250, 1209252, 1209254, 1209255, 1215113.