Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms for the first part of the month improved conditions in south central and southeast Kansas to drop the drought status to moderate drought (D1) to even none in portions of Labette and Montgomery counties by the end of the month. 2 inches with the highest values in Labette County.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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.
Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms for the first part of the month improved conditions in south central and southeast Kansas to drop the drought status to moderate drought (D1) to even none in portions of Labette and Montgomery counties by the end of the month. The rainfall totals ranged from 1.6 to 10.2 inches with the highest values in Labette County.
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 Mar 31, 10:58 PM CST, 1 hour 2 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Wichita KS 1158 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - A few strong to marginally severe thunderstorms possible this evening and tonight over south-central and southeast KS. - Elevated grassfire danger continue through the early evening hours. - Active weather pattern continues late Wednesday, and again late Friday, with additional rounds of showers/thunderstorms expected. Severe thunderstorms and localized flooding possible. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 314 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026 Currently, a shallow upper-level trough is traversing the northern tier of the CONUS. At the surface, an elongated low pressure extends from the Great Lakes region into the Central Plains. This feature is dragging a frontal boundary across the state this afternoon. Progression of this front is quicker than previously thought, already turning winds northerly in central Kansas and ushering in cooler temperatures. As such, afternoon highs have been lowered slightly for south-central Kansas, though temperatures look to still reach into the middle 80s across far southern and southeast Kansas. We're seeing gusty southwesterly winds ahead of the frontal boundary to 35 mph across south-central and southeastern Kansas. Behind the front, northerly winds are gusting to 35 mph in central Kansas. A few showers/storms will develop along the front this evening with initiation around 00Z. Because the front is advancing more quickly, rain and storms look to fire along a line southeast of the Turnpike. Activity will continue into the early overnight hours across southeast Kansas before exiting the forecast area to the southeast. Severe weather is not expected as overall forcing is not strong with this front. But modest shear and decent CAPE values along the boundary will support a few stronger storms capable of gusty winds and small hail. For Wednesday, the frontal boundary will stall across our area. This will create quite the temperature disparity across the forecast area with temperatures near 80s along the KS/OK border with highs in the 60s in central Kansas. As we move into the afternoon hours a dryline to the west will begin to march eastward just as a potent shortwave begins to lift into the Central Plains. The resulting lee trough will push east across the state through the evening hours. Convection will initially develop along the dryline as semi discrete cells across south-central Kansas. These initial storms will pose a large hail and wind threat, along with the potential for a few isolated tornadoes. The elongated hodographs indicate that with time, storms will evolve into a broken line extending north to south. These storms will then pose primarily a wind threat, with isolated large hail and tornado threat continuing. With above normal PWATs between 1-1.5 inches, heavy rainfall and localized flooding will also be a concern, especially across southeast Kansas. Storms will diminish and shift out of the forecast area generally between 06-09Z. Then, temperatures for Thursday will remain slightly above normal, but cooler than the previous few days, in the post-frontal air mass with highs reaching into the lower to middle 70s. Brief clearing ahead of the next system and subtle ridging on Friday will allow for temperatures to rebound to slightly above normal with highs reaching into the 70s and lower 80s. The next trough will swing across the central U.S. late Friday and into the weekend. Another surface low will eject off the Central Rockies by midday Friday dragging with it a frontal boundary that will initiate another round of showers and thunderstorms for Friday evening through early Saturday morning. Surface based CAPE between 2000-3000 J/kg and modest shear will support additional severe thunderstorm activity. Once again, initial storm mode looks to be discrete cells, then merging into a line of storms that pushes east with the cold front. Model guidance currently indicates that this activity will focus across eastern Kansas, with our central Kansas counties likely missing out once again. Behind this deeper, more potent trough, much cooler temperatures are expected for this upcoming weekend with highs reaching only into the 60s areawide. Then ridging will begin to build in over the central part of the U.S. by early week allowing for a modest warm-up through mid-week with highs reaching into the lower to middle 70s under mostly clear skies. && .AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z Thursday/... Issued at 1148 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026 Main aviation concerns will be storm chances Wed evening along with increasing low ceilings. Storms are currently affecting southeast KS and are expected to keep pushing east out of the area. Models remain consistent in bringing MVFR cigs in from the east, affecting most TAF sites by late Wed morning. There is a chance we may see some pockets of IFR levels across eastern KS into the Flint Hills, but confidence isn't high enough to run with IFR levels at this time. Shortwave trough is anticipated to move out across the Plains Wed night with storms likely for areas along and especially east of I-135. Confidence remain low with the timing of storms, with some CAMs developing activity by 5 pm. However, given widespread clouds and lack of surface convergence, going with the thinking that storms will wait for better large scale lift and low level jet to develop, which should be around 00z. At this point it appears KICT-KCNU will have the best chance to see storms Wed evening. && .FIRE WEATHER... Issued at 314 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026 Strong southerly winds continue across far southern and southeast Kansas ahead of a cold frontal boundary. Behind the front, winds are gusting to 35 mph out of the north. Breezy winds and warm temperatures support Very High fire danger today. RH values remain in the 30-40% range and may help to mitigate fire weather concerns. Very High fire weather danger looks to return for Friday and Saturday, primarily across central and south-central Kansas, as recent rainfall across eastern Kansas will help to alleviate fire weather concerns temporarily. && .ICT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && DISCUSSION...AMD AVIATION...RBL FIRE WEATHER...AMD
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Wichita KS 558 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026 KSZ032-033-047>053-067>072-082-083-091>096-098>100-012045- 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- 558 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of Central Kansas, South Central Kansas and Southeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight Isolated to widely scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible this evening, mainly along and southeast of the Kansas Turnpike. The strongest activity will be capable of nickle size hail, 60 mph winds, and locally heavy rain. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Periodic chances for scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms exist Wednesday afternoon and night, and again Friday afternoon and night. Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible, along with heavy rainfall and localized flooding. Stay tuned as we refine forecast details in the coming days. Very high grassland fire danger may return for Friday and Saturday, although widespread rainfall this week may limit the overall fire danger. .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
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
1017 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0955 PM Hail 4 NE Fredonia 37.57N 95.77W
03/31/2026 E1.25 Inch Wilson KS Broadcast Media
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
1020 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1016 PM Hail 7 W Toronto 37.83N 96.08W
03/31/2026 E0.75 Inch Greenwood KS Public
Report from mPING: Dime (0.75 in.).
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
1106 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1045 PM Tstm Wnd Gst Chanute 37.67N 95.46W
03/31/2026 E60 MPH Neosho KS Law Enforcement
&&Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Wichita KS
1128 PM CDT Tue Mar 31 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1116 PM Hail Erie 37.57N 95.24W
03/31/2026 E1.00 Inch Neosho KS Law Enforcement
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 drought. Local standard time, as filed.
After rounds of showers and thunderstorms, dought conditions went from severe (D2) to moderate (D1) early in the month. Conditions further improved in the latter part of the month to abnormally dry (D0) and even none in the northeast corner.
While severe drought conditions (D2) started the month, there were rounds of showers and thunderstorms to improve the status through the month. All but a sliver in a far southern portion of the county improved to moderate drought (D1) in the first week of the month. This sliver dropped to moderate drought on the 21st while the rest of the county further improved to abnormally dry (D0). At the end of the month, the northeast third had their drought status removed completely. There was a range of 4.6 to 10.2 inches of rain that feel in the first 21 days of the month according to CoCoRaHS and cooperative observer reports.
While severe drought conditions (D2) started the month, there were rounds of showers and thunderstorms to improve the status through the month. The eastern third of the county improved to moderate drought (D1) in the first week of the month. In the far northern and eastern portions of the county, the area recovered further with the status in the abnormally dry (D0) category by the end of the month.
The southeast third of the county entered into severe drought conditions (D2) at the very start of the month with the middle third being in moderate drought conditions (D1) and the northwest corner in abnormally dry conditions (D0). Showers and thunderstorms helped to improve the southeast quadrant on the 21st with the southern third of the county in moderate drought (D1) while the rest of the county was abnormally dry (D0) for the remainder of the month.
The month started with the southeast quadrant of the county in severe drought conditions (D2) while the rest of the county was in moderate drought (D1). Showers and thunderstorms in the first week of the month helped the far southeast corner leaving only south central portions of the county in severe drought (D2) on the 7th and lasting until the 21st. This segment went to moderate drought (D1) before getting even better by reaching the abnormally dry (D0) category at the end of the month joining most of the rest of the county. The far northeast corner eliminated their drought status at the end of the month.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Kansas, April 2026
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: 1324895, 1324902, 1324904, 1324908, 1324931.