A strong, dynamic system tracked across Kansas during the day of November 18th. This system produced widespread showers and storms, some of which produced wind gusts over 60 mph.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 strong, dynamic system tracked across Kansas during the day of November 18th. This system produced widespread showers and storms, some of which produced wind gusts over 60 mph. There were also non-thunderstorm winds gusts that occurred across the area with the highest gust measured at 66 mph. No damaged or other significant impacts were reported.
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 Nov 18, 1:45 PM CST, 52 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 145 PM CST Mon Nov 18 2024 .KEY MESSAGES... - Low-end severe thunderstorm potential through early this evening. - Windy through this evening. - Cooler and breezy weather through late week. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 144 PM CST Mon Nov 18 2024 A powerful shortwave trough and associated strong cold front will serve as the focus for a low-end severe weather threat through about 5-7 PM this evening, mainly along/east of a line extending from Anthony to Kingman to Lyons to Lincoln, and into eastern Kansas. Steepening lapse rates amidst cold air aloft approaching from the west coupled with surface temperatures in the 60s and dewpoints in the upper 50s-60s should be enough for some low-end buoyancy (CAPE values generally around 500 J/kg or less). Given strong deep layer shear values, low-topped marginal supercell structures are possible. Given the weak instability, wouldn't think hail size would get any larger than roughly dimes, and strong wind fields aloft could mix down into the downdraft for localized severe-level winds. While tornado potential isn't great given the increasingly unfavorable hodograph shape and marginal instability, buoyancy confined mainly to the lowest 3-4 km amidst decent low-level shear could support a brief tornado or two with any sustained low-topped supercell. Additionally, stout/gusty south to eventually southwest winds will persist well into the evening, mainly along and east of I-135, as powerful low pressure exits to the east-northeast. Gusts up to 40-45 mph are possible, so extended the wind advisory through 9 PM. The main story behind this system will be cooler temperatures, especially by Tuesday night, as cooler high pressure attempts to build in from the northwest. Seasonable to seasonably cool temperatures are expected through Friday night, with forecast highs in the low-mid 50s, and overnight lows in the 20s-30s. A modest warm- up is expected by the weekend, with deterministic and ensemble consensus supporting cooler/colder weather returning by early next week. Precipitation-wise, dry northwest to westerly flow aloft should support mostly dry weather after this evening through at least the next 7 days. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 1139 AM CST Mon Nov 18 2024 Rain will be rather widespread through the afternoon generally east of I-135, and also from central KS on west-northwestward, as a powerful storm system churns over Mid-America. Thinking a handful of scattered showers/thunderstorms are possible this afternoon through early evening for locations mainly along and west of the Flint Hills in vicinity of the advancing cold front. A few strong to low-end severe storms cannot be ruled out given the steepening lapse rates amidst strong shear. Otherwise, southeasterly winds will be stout/gusty this afternoon, turning west/northwesterly this evening-tonight, as the strong cold front sweeps across the region. Furthermore, widespread low clouds will switch to clear skies from west to east this evening, as subsidence and drier air filter in from the west- northwest. && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Wind Advisory until 9 PM CST this evening for KSZ052-053- 068>072-083-092>096-098>100. && DISCUSSION...ADK AVIATION...ADK
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 957 AM CST Mon Nov 18 2024 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-191600- 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- 957 AM CST Mon Nov 18 2024 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Widespread showers with a few embedded thunderstorms will impact the region today. Localized minor flooding of typical flood-prone areas is possible, along with modest rises on area rivers and streams. Additionally, a few strong to severe thunderstorms may impact locations generally along and west of the Flint Hills between 1 PM and 6 PM. The main risks will be wind gusts up to 60 or 70 mph and hail up to dime or quarter size, although a brief tornado or two cannot be ruled out as well. The severe weather threat will likely be fairly isolated and not widespread. Stout southerly winds gusting up to around 45 mph will impact locations generally along and east of I-135 today. Please see the latest Wind Advisory for additional details. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated today or tonight. && For a graphical version of this information, see our webpage at: https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=ict
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
857 AM CST Mon Nov 18 2024
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0850 AM Rain 3 W Augusta 37.69N 97.03W
11/18/2024 M1.40 Inch Butler KS Trained Spotter
Storm total as of 8:45 am.
&&The Wichita radar (KICT), 26 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:34 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind gusts measured by the Kansas State Mesonet.
Wind gust measured at Jabara Airport.
For about an hour during the afternoon of November 18, wind gusts around 58 to 66 mph were measured at Russell Municipal Airport.
For a brief time during the evening of November 18, wind gusts up to 63 mph were measured at Hutchinson Municipal Airport.
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, November 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: 1224030, 1224031, 1224557, 1224558.