Scattered severe storms impacted north central and northeast Kansas on June 4th with wind damage including a short lived but strong tornado that developed over the community of Riley and moved northeast for approximately 4-5 miles. It produced EF2 damage with winds to around 120 mph at one home just northeast of Riley.
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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 TOP wrote it up.
Scattered severe storms impacted north central and northeast Kansas on June 4th with wind damage including a short lived but strong tornado that developed over the community of Riley and moved northeast for approximately 4-5 miles. It produced EF2 damage with winds to around 120 mph at one home just northeast of Riley. No injuries 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 Topeka, KS wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 4, 1:05 PM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 205 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - A low chance for severe storms remains this afternoon and evening. Damaging winds, hail up to quarter size, and a tornado or two are possible. - Rounds of showers and storms producing 1-2" per hour rainfall rates could lead to flooding, mainly north of Interstate 70. A Flood Watch remains in effect into early Friday. - Showers and storms may impact northern Kansas Friday evening/night and bring a low risk for severe weather and heavy rainfall. - A higher chance for showers and storms comes Saturday night into Sunday night. Locally heavy rainfall is possible again, most likely across east central Kansas.&& .DISCUSSION... Issued at 205 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026 A mid-level shortwave is moving east across the Central Plains this afternoon with a MCV spinning across central Kansas. An uncapped and unstable airmass has lead to the development of widely scattered thunderstorms and coverage has been increasing as the MCV approaches. While deep shear is rather weak, low-level shear increases as the MCV moves towards the area, supporting multicellular structures or even some supercellular structures. Hail up to quarter size and 60 MPH wind gusts are the main severe hazard. Steep low-level lapse rates could stretch existing surface vorticity which, along with the elongation of the low-level hodograph, leads to the potential for a tornado or two to spin up. The flooding threat remains as well with HREF members showing the potential for 1- 2" per hour rainfall rates, with best chances for repeated rounds of rain north of Interstate 70. Rainfall totals of 1-2 are likely with localized areas up to 4 inches possible. The Flood Watch remains in effect through 4 AM. Rain is progged to exit the area early Friday morning with dry time through the majority of the day. Similar to the past few days, the environment becomes uncapped by Friday afternoon and isolated storms could develop. However, a lack of large-scale ascent should limit coverage and CAMs are generally void of convection until late afternoon and into the evening when a surface front/trough sags into southern Nebraska. While guidance varies in location of this boundary, they have shifted farther north with convection developing in Nebraska along the nose of the low-level jet. This leads to less certainty in these storms impacting the forecast area as steering flow should push storms east-southeast. If storms do impact the area, they could produce wind gusts of 60 MPH and hail up to quarter size. High PWATs could lead to locally heavy rainfall as well. Another break in precipitation appears likely Saturday before the closed upper low lifts northeast Saturday night into Sunday. Showers and storms build back into the area and the environment again favors high rainfall rates with PWATs above the 90th percentile of climatology. The good news is the best signal for heavy rainfall is across southeast and east central Kansas which have missed out on the bulk of rain over the past few days. The NBM mean shows 1-1.5" of rain across east central Kansas, with the 75th percentile of 2- 2.5". Conditions dry out for the beginning of next week as ridging builds overhead. While strength of this ridge varies among guidance, this ridge brings summer-like heat and humidity. Heat indices of 100+ degrees are appearing more likely beginning Tuesday and continuing into the middle of next. There could be a couple of waves that ride the ridge and produce showers/storms, but predictability is low this far out. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z FRIDAY/... Issued at 1208 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026 Scattered storms are developing near KMHK, but coverage and direct impacts to this terminal remain uncertain. Maintained a PROB30 group for now. CIGs should be mainly low-end VFR, but could drop to MVFR briefly this afternoon. Better chances for storms come this evening, especially at KMHK. Kept a PROB30 group going at KTOP/KFOE with a mention of VCTS at KMHK for the most likely timing of this convection. Winds remain southerly around 10 kts with gusts of 20kts through the afternoon. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch through late tonight for KSZ008-KSZ009-KSZ010- KSZ011-KSZ012-KSZ020-KSZ021-KSZ022-KSZ023-KSZ024-KSZ034. && DISCUSSION...Flanagan AVIATION...Flanagan
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Topeka KS 214 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026 KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-051915- Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Clay-Riley- Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris- Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson- 214 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Kansas, east central Kansas, north central Kansas, and northeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Showers and thunderstorms are expected across the area this afternoon and into the evening. Rounds of showers and storms producing 1-2" per hour rainfall rates could lead to flooding, mainly north of Interstate 70. A Flood Watch remains in effect for this area into early Friday. A few severe thunderstorms are also possible this afternoon and evening across the area. Damaging winds, hail up to quarter size, and a tornado or two are possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday A few strong to severe storms are possible Friday evening and Friday night across northern Kansas. Storms could produce locally heavy rainfall as well. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report hail, damaging wind, tornadoes, or flooding to the National Weather Service in Topeka.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
1231 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026
KSZ009-041800-
Washington-
1231 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTY
THROUGH 100 PM CDT...
At 1230 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Morrowville, moving northeast at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor
objects and vegetation is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Washington, Hanover, Morrowville, Haddam, and Hollenberg.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4000 9690 3998 9681 3993 9681 3971 9724
3982 9736 4000 9724
TIME...MOT...LOC 1730Z 231DEG 34KT 3981 9721
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
GarganSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
334 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026
KSZ038-042100-
Wabaunsee-
334 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHEASTERN WABAUNSEE COUNTY
THROUGH 400 PM CDT...
At 334 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 6
miles southwest of Eskridge, moving northeast at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor
objects and vegetation is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Eskridge, Harveyville, and Keene.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3874 9619 3874 9625 3880 9629 3903 9606
3884 9594 3878 9595
TIME...MOT...LOC 2034Z 235DEG 30KT 3880 9619
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPHSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Topeka KS
352 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026
KSZ024-042115-
Jackson-
352 PM CDT Thu Jun 4 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL JACKSON COUNTY THROUGH
415 PM CDT...
At 351 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 4
miles northwest of Potawatomi Reservation, moving northeast at 30
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down small tree limbs and blow
around unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to outdoor
objects and vegetation is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Holton and Circleville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3945 9569 3932 9593 3935 9599 3955 9590
3952 9577
TIME...MOT...LOC 2051Z 216DEG 28KT 3937 9592
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPHThe Topeka radar (KTWX), 88 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:52 UTC.
4 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Tree limb down on power line, causing the downed power line.
Damage to a homestead of unknown severity. Emergency Manager determined to be from damaging winds.
NWS damage survey revealed a tornado developed over the small community of Riley and tracked around 4 miles to the northeast. The tornado caused EF2 damage at one home just northeast of Riley where outbuildings were destroyed and trees suffered significant damage. The rest of the track was EF0 to at worst low end EF1 damage. No property loss data was available as of this report.
Falcon road is closed from Barton road to Madison road due to high water.
Highway 77 is closed north of Randolph due to flooding.
Emergency manager reports numerous roads are underwater around Olsburg.
Flash flooding occurring over highway K9 of eight inches in depth.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kansas in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kansas, 2026Warnings in Kansas, June 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: 1337970, 1337971, 1329874, 1337985, 1337978, 1337981, 1337984.