A series of thunderstorms pushed through much of central into southeast Kansas from the afternoon of May 1st and continuing into the afternoon of May 2nd. The only report was a brief funnel cloud in Labette County on the 2nd which was called into dispatch and monitored by law enforcement.
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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 series of thunderstorms pushed through much of central into southeast Kansas from the afternoon of May 1st and continuing into the afternoon of May 2nd. The only report was a brief funnel cloud in Labette County on the 2nd which was called into dispatch and monitored by law enforcement. By the evening, the thunderstorm activity departed the Kansas area.
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 May 2, 1:57 PM CST, 2 hours 43 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 257 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Storms likely Friday night into early Saturday morning with some strong to severe storms possible. - Rain likely Sunday across southern and southeast KS with severe storms not likely. - Severe weather episode possible on Monday afternoon/evening && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 256 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024 Water vapor imagery currently shows an upper low situated over far southern Saskatchewan with a vort lobe rotating into the Upper Mississippi Valley. Meanwhile, visible satellite shows an MCV lifting across far northeast KS and about to move into southeast MO. At the surface, cold front extends from east of Kansas City to just west of Chanute and down into central OK. Cold front will continue progressing southeast late this afternoon and will be out of the forecast area in the 01-03z time frame. So we will see some showers and storms linger across far southeast KS early this evening with a clearing trend for the remainder of the forecast area. Still looking shower/storm free for Friday with slightly above normal temps. Another piece of energy is expected to track across the Central Plains for Fri into Fri night which will allow a cold front to surge south Fri night. Confidence is increasing for an MCS to dive southeast across much of the forecast area on Fri night into early Sat morning, associated with the cold front. At this time it appears there would be at least a low end severe threat with this activity, with damaging winds possibly the main hazard. Complex of storms will be pushing through southern KS Sat morning with most of the area precip free by the afternoon hours. Confidence is high in below normal temps for Sat with highs in the 60s for most locations. By Sat night, there is good model agreement in a deep upper low over Northern CA with a fast moving impulse moving out of the Desert Southwest and across the Southern Plains. This feature will spread a swath of rain across OK and southern KS late Sat night through Sun as it moves into the Ozark region by early Sun evening. Not looking for any strong or severe storms with this activity with a good chance central KS remains dry. Next potential widespread severe weather day looks to arrive on Mon as a potent upper trough tracks across the Rockies and goes negative tilt as it moves out across the Central Plains. The ECMWF is further north with the upper low compared to the GFS and thus has the southern branch of the upper jet moving into Western KS where the GFS has it moving into western OK. Moisture does not look like an issue with this system with the main forecast challenge the position/timing of the dryline and upper jet. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 1236 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024 Main aviation concern will be storms this afternoon and early evening across southeast KS. Cold front currently extends from southeast of KEMP to near KWLD and is continuing to track slowly southeast. A line of storms recently developed along the front and are nearly stationary so far. So currently expecting storms to continue this afternoon between KICT and KCNU with KCNU the only TAF site expected to be affected by storms late this afternoon into the early evening. Outside of a brief period of MVFR cigs at KSLN, confidence is high that VFR conditions will remain at the remaining sites. North winds will come around to the northeast and eventually east by late tonight. && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && DISCUSSION...RBL AVIATION...RBL
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 504 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-031730- 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- 504 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight River flooding will continue along the Neosho River from Parsons down to Oswego. Refer to the latest river flood warning for additional details. A few strong thunderstorms are possible early this evening over far southeast Kansas. Dime to nickel size hail and 50 mph winds may accompany the strongest storms. Widespread severe weather is not expected. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday There is a chance for strong to severe storms on Friday night into early Saturday morning, mainly along and west of the Kansas turnpike. The main risks will be nickel to quarter size hail and 50 to 60 mph wind gusts. Periodic chances for thunderstorms will continue across the area late into the weekend through Monday night. The best chance for organized severe weather appears to be Monday afternoon and early evening. Check later forecasts and outlooks for updates on the severe weather expectations. .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
1217 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024
KSZ070-071-094-095-098-021745-
Wilson KS-Greenwood KS-Woodson KS-Chautauqua KS-Elk KS-
1217 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT ELK...NORTHWESTERN WILSON...
NORTHWESTERN CHAUTAUQUA...WOODSON AND SOUTHEASTERN GREENWOOD COUNTIES
THROUGH 1245 PM CDT...
At 1216 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 7 miles north of Toronto to near Severy to 8
miles north of Cedar Vale. Movement was east to northeast at 20 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch 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...
Yates Center, Howard, Moline, Longton, Toronto, Severy, Grenola, Fall
River, Neosho Falls, Elk Falls, Climax, Virgil, New Albany, Coyville,
Batesville, Toronto Lake, Fall River State Park, Fall River Lake,
Cross Timbers State Park, and Piedmont.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3724 9653 3755 9648 3804 9594 3804 9553
3715 9622 3713 9649
TIME...MOT...LOC 1716Z 223DEG 17KT 3790 9591 3759 9628 3722 9648
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
KLEINSASSERSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
115 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024
KSZ071-021845-
Woodson KS-
115 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN WOODSON COUNTY
THROUGH 145 PM CDT...
At 114 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Le Roy, or 10 miles north of Yates Center, moving northeast at 15
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...
Neosho Falls.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3792 9569 3804 9575 3804 9552 3795 9552
TIME...MOT...LOC 1814Z 238DEG 12KT 3802 9567
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
LAWSONSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Wichita KS
125 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024
KSZ072-021900-
Allen KS-
125 PM CDT Thu May 2 2024
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT ALLEN COUNTY THROUGH 200 PM
CDT...
At 124 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 6
miles southwest of Moran, or 7 miles southeast of La Harpe, moving
northeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch 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...
Iola, La Harpe, Gas, Moran, Savonburg, Elsmore, Mildred, and Iola
Airport.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3782 9509 3773 9509 3779 9540 3804 9539
3804 9508 3782 9508
TIME...MOT...LOC 1824Z 213DEG 23KT 3783 9523
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
KLEINSASSERThe Tulsa radar (KINX), 105 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:39 UTC.
1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Reported of a brief funnel cloud over the Chetopa area. Did not last long and dissipated quickly.
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, May 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: 1172951.