A cold front moved southward across Kansas into a hot and humid airmass during the evening hours on the 31st. This sparked off a line of strong to severe thunderstorms which produced damaging to destructive winds across the northern and central Kansas.
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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.
A cold front moved southward across Kansas into a hot and humid airmass during the evening hours on the 31st. This sparked off a line of strong to severe thunderstorms which produced damaging to destructive winds across the northern and central Kansas. The Salina area had extensive tree damage and power outages from thunderstorm wind gusts over 80mph with a measurement of 95 mph in downtown.
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 31, 1:50 PM CST, 3 hours 24 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 250 PM CDT Wed Jul 31 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Showers and thunderstorms likely overnight, some could be severe - "Cooler" temperatures will be push into the region Thursday but still hot - Above normal temperatures continue through the weekend. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 249 PM CDT Wed Jul 31 2024 A tricky weather set up for tonight and into Thursday. A weak frontal system will be pushing into the region providing the needed forcing to help trigger thunderstorms activity. Shear values and lapse rates look rather good, especially in Central Kansas providing the needed conditions to create severe thunderstorms. Shear profile is not very conducive to tornadic activity and as such, do not expected much if any. Hail and wind on the other hand are much more likely. Hail will be more likely upon initiation of the thunderstorm activity which could reach the size of a half dollar. As the thunderstorm activity matures, expect the thunderstorms to develop into a more squall line mode making wind the primary threat. DCAPE values are in the 900-1400 J/Kg range which indicates winds in to 70- 80 mph range are possible. Areas along the I-70 corridor are the most likely areas to see this type of activity. Wilson Lake and Kanopolis Lake are also at risk for this level of winds. This overnight thunderstorm activity will make Thursday's temperatures a little tricky. The front will kick the winds around to the north and east for much of the CWA tomorrow which is not conducive to heat warning or advisory level temperatures. As a result, lowered temperatures for Thursday some to compensate for this and canceled the heat warning for the northern half of the CWA. The southern half will remain in the heat warning as the front is currently not expected to reach far enough south to cool temperatures down too much. There is also a decent amount of uncertainty on how much convective debris will remain for the thunderstorms activity tonight. As such, could see temperatures tomorrow in the southern areas along the Oklahoma state line a little cooler than currently forecast. Friday and into the weekend also looks problematic. A number of the models indicate this weak frontal boundary will stall over the Oklahoma Sate Line. This makes the temperatures forecast for Friday and possibly Saturday a little tricky. Additionally, increase POPs in this time frame to compensate. As a consequence, reduced the temperatures some for Friday primarily but did not stray from the initialization for Saturday and Sunday due to the uncertainty. Rain chances do look to decrease during the weekend and into the next weak with temperatures likely climb into the 100s once again. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 1238 PM CDT Wed Jul 31 2024 Challenges 1) Convection timing and southern extent 2) Frontal timing The biggest concern is the potential for thunderstorms along a cold front which will track southeast this evening into tonight. Highest confidence exists for storms across north central and portions of south central Kansas (RSL, GBD and SLN). There is uncertainty in the exact timing with convection already across central Nebraska. This activity should shift to the southeast. Severe storms with wind gusts near 60kts and quarter sized hail are anticipated; damaging winds are the bigger threat. Uncertainty exists further south with variability in the coverage. It was decided to keep the PROB30 for now for ICT and nothing for CNU; this may have to change with the next issuance when a better track can be made with the convection at that time. Lighter winds are anticipated behind the front. && .CLIMATE... Issued at 631 PM CDT Mon Jul 29 2024 Record temperatures that may be tied or broken are listed below for the next couple days. RECORD HIGHS Russell (7/31) - Record: 106 in 2005 RECORD WARM LOWS Wichita (7/31) - Record: 79 in 1980 Salina (7/31) - Record: 81 in 2006 Wichita (8/1) - Record: 80 in 2006 && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM CDT this evening for KSZ032- 033-047>053. Excessive Heat Warning until 8 PM CDT Thursday for KSZ067>072- 082-083-091>096-098>100. && DISCUSSION...ELM AVIATION...VJP CLIMATE...ADK/KED
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 1052 AM CDT Wed Jul 31 2024 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-011600- 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- 1052 AM CDT Wed Jul 31 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Dangerous heat will continue today with heat indices from 105 to 110 degrees. Refer to the Excessive Heat Warning for details and safety information. Severe thunderstorms are possible this evening through early tonight across central Kansas, perhaps as far south as Hutchinson to Cottonwood Falls. The main risks will be damaging winds to around 70 mph though hail up to half dollar size will be possible early this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Heat indices will range from around 100 across central Kansas on Thursday afternoon and from 105 to 110 degrees across southern Kansas. Refer to the Excessive Heat Warning for details and safety information. Dangerous triple digit heat could return by Monday and Tuesday of next week. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed this evening. && For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at: https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=ict
The Grand Island radar (KUEX), 159 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:13 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Kansas State Mesonet recorded a wind gust of 64 mph.
A trained spotter estimated 60 mph winds. There was another report from a trained spotter of a 12 foot tree broken half way up. The tree was approximately six inches in diameter at the point of where the tree was snapped.
Trained spotter estimated a few gusts near 60 mph.
A high line electrical transmission line was reported down with estimated gusts of 60 to 70 mph and relayed via dispatch.
Emergency manager estimated wind gusts of 75 mph. Tree damage was reported northwest of Durham.
A trained spotter estimated a 60 mph wind gust in Ellinwood.
Union Pacific Railroad measured a gust to 89 mph.
A sensor on top of the roof of the KSAL Radio station measured 95 mph. Per social media posts and the local media, extensive tree damage occurred in Salina.
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: 1199535, 1199536, 1199538, 1199537, 1199539, 1199540, 1199541, 1199543, 1199544, 1199547, 1199546.