Tornadoes · United States · Kansas · 1999
F1 tornado, Mayfield to Mulvane, Kansas, May 3, 1999
From Mayfield to Mulvane, this F1 tornado ran 12.0 miles across Sumner County on May 3, 1999, touching down at 7:35 PM CDT and reaching 440 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $250,000 of property damage.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
F040 to 72 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
F173 to 112 mphthis tornado
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
F2113 to 157 mph
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
F3158 to 206 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
F4207 to 260 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
F5261 to 318 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- F1
- Date
- May 3, 1999
- Touchdown
- 7:35 PM CDT (00:35 UTC)
- Path length
- 12.0 miles (19.3 km)
- Path width
- 440 yards (402 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $250,000
- County
- Sumner County
- Touchdown point
- 37.230, -97.580
- Lift-off point
- 37.420, -97.550
- Record number
- 883
What the Weather Service recorded
Minor roof damage inflicted to a business in Mayfield. Just north of Mayfield, a metal outbuilding was partially unroofed with minor roof damage inflicted to the adjacent house. The tornado then hit a farmstead where windows were broken on the south and west sides of the house, a satellite dish tilted over, two metal grain bins removed and a metal barn damaged when one of the grain bins was thrown into it. Near termination, major damage was inflicted to two mobile homes, one of which was thrown about 50 feet and destroyed on impact with a row of trees.
Initial touchdown occurred 4 miles north of Wellington in Central Sumner County where several power poles were knocked down. Moving north-northeast near 30 kts, the tornado inflicted damage to about 15 structures including complete destruction of two mobile homes, a pole barn, two wood sheds and one metal shed. Also damaged were a ranch style home and a metal shed, both of which lost most of their roofing. This tornado was responsible for all 4 injuries in Sumner County. Of the injuries, 3 occurred (1 serious) in the two destroyed mobile homes. While in Sumner County, this tornado possessed a path 10 miles long and 1/4 to 1/2 mile wide. It would exit Sumner County at 1930, continuing a north-northeast track into Sedgwick County.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down. One was issued for the county at another hour that day.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 00:38 UTC | 01:15 UTC | Tornado Warning | ICT |
| 01:16 UTC | 02:20 UTC | Tornado Warning | ICT |
| 02:29 UTC | 03:15 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ICT |
Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.
The forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a High Risk. The outlook in force was issued at 20:49 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
The surface observations
Wichita (ICT), 38 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22:56 UTC | 77 | 64 | 180° 20 kt | 26 | 998.3 | |
| 23:56 UTC | 76 | 64 | 170° 18 kt | 998 | ||
| 00:56 UTC | 74 | 67 | 170° 19 kt | 997 | -RA | |
| 01:41 UTC | 60.8 | 57.2 | 160° 25 kt | 42 | 1000 | |
| 01:47 UTC | 60.8 | 57.2 | 1000.3 | |||
| 01:56 UTC | 64 | 57 | 180° 19 kt | 33 | 999.3 | -TSRA BR |
| 02:01 UTC | 64.4 | 57.2 | 150° 25 kt | 35 | 998.3 | |
| 02:07 UTC | 64.4 | 57.2 | 150° 25 kt | 35 | 998.6 | |
| 02:31 UTC | 62.6 | 60.8 | 150° 25 kt | 35 | 998.6 |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Wichita radar (KICT), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:19 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 1999 tornado in KansasEvery tornado in Kansas since 1950Warnings in force in Kansas nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of May 3, 1999
70 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3 | 4:51 PM CDT | F0 | Comanche, OK | 0.5 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 4:55 PM CDT | F0 | Comanche, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 5:20 PM CDT | F3 | Caddo, OK | 6.0 | 100 | 3 | $50,000 | |
| May 3 | 5:26 PM CDT | F0 | Caddo, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 5:36 PM CDT | F0 | Kiowa, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 5:38 PM CDT | F0 | Caddo, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 5:46 PM CDT | F3 | Grady, OK | 9.0 | 880 | 4 | $150,000 | |
| May 3 | 6:07 PM CDT | F0 | Grady, OK | 1.0 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 6:12 PM CDT | F2 | Grady, OK | 4.0 | 500 | 4 | $500,000 | |
| May 3 | 6:20 PM CDT | F0 | Caddo, OK | 2.0 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 6:26 PM CDT | F5 | Bridge Creek–Moore tornado, OK | 37.0 | 1,430 | 36 | 583 | $1.0 billion |
| May 3 | 6:38 PM CDT | F1 | Caddo, OK | 7.0 | 150 | $20,000 | ||
| May 3 | 6:56 PM CDT | F0 | Caddo, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 6:58 PM CDT | F0 | Canadian, OK | 4.1 | 100 | $10,000 | ||
| May 3 | 7:00 PM CDT | F0 | Canadian, OK | 0.2 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 7:10 PM CDT | F0 | McClain, OK | 0.2 | 20 | |||
| May 3 | 7:12 PM CDT | F0 | Caddo, OK | 1.0 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 7:20 PM CDT | F0 | Caddo, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 7:31 PM CDT | F0 | Oklahoma, OK | 0.5 | 60 | $3,000 | ||
| May 3 | 7:34 PM CDT | F0 | Caddo, OK | 0.5 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 7:37 PM CDT | F1 | Grady, OK | 2.0 | 300 | $1,000 | ||
| May 3 | 7:37 PM CDT | F1 | Caddo, OK | 5.0 | 50 | $1,000 | ||
| May 3 | 7:47 PM CDT | F1 | Grady, OK | 4.0 | 60 | $20,000 | ||
| May 3 | 7:53 PM CDT | F2 | Oklahoma, OK | 7.0 | 220 | 4 | $3.2 million | |
| May 3 | 7:55 PM CDT | F1 | Grady, OK | 0.1 | 50 | $10,000 | ||
| May 3 | 8:03 PM CDT | F0 | Canadian, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 8:08 PM CDT | F0 | Nolan, TX | 0.1 | 10 | |||
| May 3 | 8:09 PM CDT | F0 | Oklahoma, OK | 2.0 | 50 | $10,000 | ||
| May 3 | 8:13 PM CDT | F4 | Haysville tornado, KS | 24.0 | 880 | 6 | 150 | $141 million |
| May 3 | 8:13 PM CDT | F0 | Canadian, OK | 0.8 | 100 | |||
| May 3 | 8:16 PM CDT | F0 | Canadian, OK | 1.0 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 8:17 PM CDT | F1 | Oklahoma, OK | 4.0 | 50 | $60,000 | ||
| May 3 | 8:20 PM CDT | F1 | Holt, NE | 15.0 | 100 | $750,000 | ||
| May 3 | 8:21 PM CDT | F0 | Blaine, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 8:25 PM CDT | F0 | Canadian, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 8:27 PM CDT | F0 | Antelope, NE | 3.0 | 40 | $10,000 | ||
| May 3 | 8:29 PM CDT | F3 | Blaine, OK | 21.0 | 0 | 4 | $320,000 | |
| May 3 | 8:34 PM CDT | F1 | Canadian, OK | 6.0 | 150 | $50,000 | ||
| May 3 | 8:34 PM CDT | F1 | Cleveland, OK | 9.0 | 30 | $80,000 | ||
| May 3 | 8:48 PM CDT | F2 | Canadian, OK | 8.1 | 200 | $50,000 | ||
| May 3 | 8:51 PM CDT | F0 | Knox, NE | 6.0 | 70 | $10,000 | ||
| May 3 | 8:55 PM CDT | F0 | Kingfisher, OK | 0.5 | 50 | |||
| May 3 | 8:58 PM CDT | F1 | Canadian, OK | 10.0 | 150 | $10,000 | ||
| May 3 | 9:03 PM CDT | F0 | Kingfisher, OK | 0.1 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 9:05 PM CDT | F2 | Pottawatomie, OK | 18.0 | 150 | 1 | 10 | $750,000 |
| May 3 | 9:10 PM CDT | F1 | Logan, OK | 1.0 | 100 | $2,000 | ||
| May 3 | 9:10 PM CDT | F4 | Kingfisher, OK | 15.0 | 880 | 1 | 11 | $2.5 million |
| May 3 | 9:15 PM CDT | F0 | Butler, KS | 0.0 | 0 | |||
| May 3 | 9:22 PM CDT | F0 | Kingfisher, OK | 0.8 | 50 | |||
| May 3 | 9:24 PM CDT | F0 | Knox, NE | 0.0 | 20 | |||
| May 3 | 9:25 PM CDT | F0 | Cedar, NE | 3.5 | 40 | $10,000 | ||
| May 3 | 9:25 PM CDT | F4 | Mulhall tornado, OK | 35.0 | 1,760 | 2 | 26 | $13 million |
| May 3 | 9:26 PM CDT | F1 | Cedar, NE | 4.0 | 70 | $50,000 | ||
| May 3 | 9:30 PM CDT | F1 | Kingfisher, OK | 4.0 | 440 | $10,000 | ||
| May 3 | 9:32 PM CDT | F0 | Knox, NE | 0.0 | 20 | |||
| May 3 | 9:50 PM CDT | F0 | Kingfisher, OK | 0.2 | 30 | |||
| May 3 | 9:56 PM CDT | F0 | Canadian, OK | 1.0 | 50 | $30,000 | ||
| May 3 | 9:57 PM CDT | F2 | Kingfisher, OK | 1.0 | 150 | $30,000 | ||
| May 3 | 10:00 PM CDT | F0 | Bon Homme, SD | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 3 | 10:03 PM CDT | F0 | Charles Mix, SD | 0.1 | 50 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.