Storms rapidly developed over northern Oklahoma during the late afternoon hours on Tuesday July 2nd and quickly tracked off to the northeast. These storms quickly started producing damaging straight-line winds as they moved into Harper and Kingman counties with gusts of 60 to 65 mph reported.
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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.
Storms rapidly developed over northern Oklahoma during the late afternoon hours on Tuesday July 2nd and quickly tracked off to the northeast. These storms quickly started producing damaging straight-line winds as they moved into Harper and Kingman counties with gusts of 60 to 65 mph reported.
Line of severe storms moved across Wichita between 5 and 6 pm and produced widespread wind damage with numerous trees reported blown down. Winds across the city were measured between 60 and 70 mph. As the storms moved into Butler County, strong winds blew down a fireworks tent which resulted in three injuries. Damaging winds impacted other portions of south central 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 Jul 2, 1:01 PM CST, 2 hours 38 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 201 PM CDT Tue Jul 2 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Storms likely this evening mainly for south central and eastern KS. - Pattern will remain active, especially for Wed night through Thu evening. Best chance for storms on 4th of July will be along and especially southeast of the KS Turnpike. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 201 PM CDT Tue Jul 2 2024 Currently have an upper trough swinging across the Northern/Central Plains with upper ridging over the Southeast CONUS. At the surface, cold front stretches from southeast KS to south of KRSL and into the OK Panhandle. Still looking for storms to develop along the cold front late this afternoon or early evening. Extensive cloud cover over central KS could delay convective development a couple hours, at least until the front can get near the clouds southeast edge. So current thinking is that storms will develop generally in the 21-23z time frame in a line from near Hutch to Marion, with this activity slowly sagging south into the early evening hours. Looks like storms will have around 2,000-2,500J/KG of CAPE to work with along with 25-35kts of effective shear. So some low end severe hail looks possible. In addition, will have plenty of DCAPE to support severe downburst winds to 70 mph. With a very high PW airmass in place along with a slow moving boundary, heavy rain and localized flooding will also be a possibility through the overnight hours. Fairly messy forecast setting up for Wed with low confidence, especially in shower and storm chances during the day. There should be a low level baroclinic zone lingering around through south central KS during the morning hours, with persistent 800-600mb moisture transport continuing through the day along with a mid level convergence zone. So current thinking is that we will keep some sct showers and iso storms around through much of the day, especially across southern KS, with an overall decrease in coverage through the afternoon hours. Models also agree well on digging another upper impulse across the Northern Intermountain Wed and into the Central Rockies by Wed evening. Confidence is high that this will result in an MCS coming off the High Plains Wed night. However, there is considerable uncertainty on the location and track of the MCS. For now will go with the thinking that most likely development will be over northwest KS/sw Nebraska and will track east/southeast Wed night, mainly affecting central and eastern KS. Will be enough deep layer shear and instability for severe storms with the activity Wed night. By Thu afternoon, upper vort max will be tracking across Nebraska with another cold front expected to be pushing south across the area. By the late afternoon hours Thu, front should be southeast of the KS Turnpike with storms forecast to develop along it, affecting mainly far southern and much of southeast KS. Still looking like a break from storms for both Fri and Sat as we get into northwest flow aloft with strong upper ridging over the Western CONUS. Will bring-in some storm chances starting Sunday and continuing Sun night as an upper impulse dives southeast out of the Northern Rockies and into the Central Plains. As far as temps go, clouds and precip should hold things down for Wed with above normal highs Thu across southern and Southeast KS ahead of the front. However, once we get into northwest flow for the weekend into next week, highs should return to normal or even slightly below normal which will be a nice change. && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 613 AM CDT Tue Jul 2 2024 VFR conditions expected through at least 21Z, then thunderstorm development expected to impact aviation interests thereafter. This morning, a strong LLJ is inducing robust low-level wind shear across the area. This should subside by late morning or early afternoon, but breezy southern winds should continue south of an approaching cold front. This cold front will accompany a wind shift from southerly to northeasterly, and it will also be the focus for thunderstorm development this afternoon. Some storms that develop this afternoon and evening could be strong to severe with the main concerns being up to half-dollar sized hail and localized 50 to 60-knot wind gusts. After 03Z, chances for severe weather decrease, but lingering showers and storms could continue to impact TAF sites through the remainder of the TAF period. && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory until 8 PM CDT this evening for KSZ049>053- 067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100. && DISCUSSION...RBL AVIATION...JC
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 318 PM CDT Tue Jul 2 2024 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-030915- 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- 318 PM CDT Tue Jul 2 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Late this afternoon and Tonight Heat index values between 105 and 109 degrees are expected southeast of a line from Salina to Lyons late this afternoon and early evening. See latest heat advisory for additional details. Severe storms are possible late this afternoon and evening across portions of central and south central Kansas. Damaging winds up to 70 mph, half-dollar size hail and heavy rainfall are the primary concerns. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Storm chances will linger across the area during the day on Wednesday with heavy rain the main threat. Storm chances will increase Wednesday night, especially across central Kansas. Severe storms producing large hail and damaging winds will be possible. Storms are then expected to develop along a cold front late Thursday afternoon into the evening hours with locations generally southeast of the Kansas Turnpike having the better chances. Large hail, damaging winds and heavy rain will be the main threats. Heat indices around 105 will be possible Thursday afternoon across far southern Kansas, especially for locations bordering Oklahoma. .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
The Vance AFB radar (KVNX), 67 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:39 UTC.
25 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotter reported an estimated 60 mph winds.
Trained spotter reported an estimated 65mph winds.
Trained spotter reported estimated winds of 65 mph.
Public reported a large tree limb down on a home near 13th and West Street via social media.
Broadcast media (KAKE TV) had a measured gust of 67 mph.
Public reported a tree blocking a road near 21st and Tyler Road. Other public reports in the same area indicated multiple trees were down via social media.
Broadcast media reported a fireworks tent blown over with three injuries. The injury information was confirmed with emergency management.
Public reported an estimated gust of 70 mph.
Public reported several large tree limbs down in Riverside Park.
Public reported an estimated wind gust of 65 mph.
Dispatch reported powerlines were down and relayed to emergency management.
Two inch diameter tree limbs were reported down and relayed via emergency management.
Butler County Fire Department reported an estimated 70 mph winds and power out in Burns.
Sheriff's deputy reported an estimated wind gust of 60 mph which was relayed via emergency management.
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, July 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: 1192031, 1192036, 1192038, 1192039, 1192042, 1192043, 1192045, 1192024, 1192048, 1192049, 1192050, 1192025, 1192027, 1192053, 1192028, 1192054, 1192055, 1192057, 1192058, 1192062, 1192029, 1192030, 1192063, 1192064, 1192065.