Tornadoes · United States · Kansas · 2007
EF0 tornado, Bennington, Kansas, May 5, 2007
This EF0 tornado ran 0.3 miles across Ottawa County on May 5, 2007, touching down at 11:32 PM CDT and reaching 50 yards wide. It killed nobody.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 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.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 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
- EF0
- Date
- May 5, 2007
- Touchdown
- 11:32 PM CDT (04:32 UTC)
- Path length
- 0.3 miles (0.4 km)
- Path width
- 50 yards (46 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Ottawa County
- Touchdown point
- 38.989, -97.600
- Lift-off point
- 38.989, -97.600
- Record number
- 0705052232-01
What the Weather Service recorded
An upper level low pressure system remained relatively stationary over the Central Plains Saturday through Monday, May 5th through May 7th. Severe weather swept across Northeast Kansas during the late evening hours the 5th, and the early morning of the 6th. Hail, strong winds, and tornadoes were all observed over the course of the evening. An F2 tornado that ripped across Ottawa County killed one woman, and injured one other when their mobile home was demolished. At least three other people were confirmed to have been injured during the tornado. NWS Storm Surveys the following day confirmed that damage was created by both tornadoes and strong winds across portions of northeast Kansas, but 6 tornadoes were confirmed. Cloud county qualified for FEMA funds.
Brief touchdown near the Saline/Ottawa County line.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
29 minutes of warning. NWS TOP issued a tornado warning for this county at 04:03 UTC, 29 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 04:45 UTC.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 02:08 UTC and running to 09:00 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17:00 UTC | 00:00 UTC | Wind Advisory | TOP |
| 19:44 UTC | 02:08 UTC | Tornado Watch | TOP |
| 02:08 UTC | 09:00 UTC | Tornado Watch | TOP |
| 04:03 UTC | 04:45 UTC | Tornado Warning | TOP |
| 04:30 UTC | 05:15 UTC | Tornado Warning | TOP |
| 04:43 UTC | 05:30 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP |
| 06:10 UTC | 10:00 UTC | Flash Flood Warning | TOP |
| 10:00 UTC | 12:00 UTC | Flash Flood Watch | TOP |
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 Moderate Risk, with a 0.15 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 00:59 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 air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Topeka, KS (KTOP), 00:00Z
4.5 hours before the tornado, 169 km from the path. May 6, 2007.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1963 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -29 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 2402 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1234 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 50 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 37 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 217 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 294 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 2.1
- Supercell composite
- 10.3
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 6.0 K/km
The surface observations
Salina (SLN), 22 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02:53 UTC | 74 | 67 | 130° 12 kt | 1004.4 | ||
| 03:34 UTC | 73.4 | 68 | 140° 13 kt | 1004.1 | TS | |
| 03:53 UTC | 73 | 68 | 140° 18 kt | 23 | 1003.7 | VCTS -RA |
| 04:00 UTC | 71.6 | 69.8 | 140° 18 kt | 23 | 1003.4 | +TSRA BR |
| 04:16 UTC | 71.6 | 68 | 170° 13 kt | 19 | 1003 | -TSRA |
| 04:27 UTC | 73.4 | 69.8 | 170° 18 kt | 25 | 1003.4 | -TSRA |
| 04:53 UTC | 65 | 62 | 280° 24 kt | 35 | 1006.1 | +TSRA BR |
| 05:00 UTC | 60.8 | 60.8 | 310° 17 kt | 33 | 1004.1 | +TSRA FG |
| 05:11 UTC | 60.8 | 60.8 | 20° 7 kt | 1005.4 | +TSRA BR | |
| 06:21 UTC | 60.8 | 59 | 360° 12 kt | 1005.4 | +TSRA BR | |
| 06:36 UTC | 60.8 | 59 | 0° 0 kt | 1006.1 | +TSRA BR |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Topeka radar (KTWX), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 04:31 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.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02:10 UTC | HAIL 1 | Asherville | Mitchell, KS | |
| 03:43 UTC | TSTM WND GST 80 | 6 Sw Westfall | Lincoln, KS | 80 MPH WIND ESTIMATED ALONG I-70. |
| 03:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Sw Westfall | Lincoln, KS | LARGE TREE LIMBS ACROSS ROAD. |
| 04:00 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | Westfall | Lincoln, KS | 2 TO 3 INCHES OF WATER FLOWING OVER NUMEROUS ROADS NEAR WESTFALL. |
| 04:05 UTC | TORNADO | Westfall | Lincoln, KS | LARGE WEDGE TORNADO REPORTED ON THE GROUND NEAR WESTFALL. |
| 04:08 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | Glendale | Saline, KS | FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTED ON THE SALINE AND ELLSWORTH COUNTY LINE ON I-70. |
| 04:30 UTC | TORNADO | 3 S Bennington | Ottawa, KS | TOUCHDOWN NEAR SALINE AND OTTAWA COUNTY LINE. |
| 04:40 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Nne Bennington | Ottawa, KS | *** 4 INJ *** DAMAGE TO FOUR HOMES. POWER LINES DOWN. |
| 04:45 UTC | HAIL 1.75 | Minneapolis | Ottawa, KS | MEASURED AT THE DISPATCH CENTER |
| 04:46 UTC | TSTM WND GST 50 | 2 W Salina | Saline, KS | OBSERVER REPORTED VERY HEAVY RAIN...NO HAIL AND NO ROTATION. HE DID REPORT SOME STREET FLOODING. |
| 04:49 UTC | TORNADO | 1 E Minneapolis | Ottawa, KS | NEAR THE MINNEAPOLIS RACE TRACK |
| 04:49 UTC | TORNADO | 6 E Minneapolis | Ottawa, KS | SECOND TORNADO REPORTED NEAR OTTAWA STATE FISHING LAKE |
| 04:54 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | Salina | Saline, KS | LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED STREET FLOODING IN THE WESTERN HALF OF THE CITY OF SALINA. |
| 04:56 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 E Minneapolis | Ottawa, KS | REPORT OF AT LEAST ONE ROOF LOST OFF A RESIDENCE AND NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER POLES BLOCKING HWY 106 NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF 81 HWY |
| 05:04 UTC | TSTM WND GST 65 | 5 E Glendale | Saline, KS | ALSO REPORTING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. |
| 05:07 UTC | TSTM WND GST 60 | N Marquette | Mcpherson, KS | OBSERVER REPORTING LARGE TREE LIMB DOWN. ALSO REPORTING VERY HEAVY RAIN. |
| 05:08 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 6 Sw Miltonvale | Ottawa, KS | DAMAGE TO FARMSTEAD |
| 05:19 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | 1 N Salina | Saline, KS | THE INTERSECTION OF REPUBLIC AND 9TH IS CLOSED DUE TO WATER OVER THE ROAD. A VEHICLE RESCUE IS IN PROGRESS. |
| 05:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Se Longford | Clay, KS | POWER POLES REPORTED SNAPPED ON CHEROKEE ROAD. |
| 05:22 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ssw Longford | Clay, KS | SHED BLOWN DOWN ON FARMSTEAD |
| 05:22 UTC | TSTM WND GST 70 | 2 Ssw Longford | Clay, KS | |
| 05:22 UTC | NON-TSTM WND GST 70 | 2 Ssw Longford | Clay, KS | |
| 05:25 UTC | TSTM WND GST 60 | 3 Wnw Talmage | Dickinson, KS | |
| 05:30 UTC | TSTM WND GST 60 | 8 S Clay Center | Clay, KS | |
| 05:56 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | 3 Wsw Smolan | Saline, KS | OBSERVER REPORTED 6.00 INCHES OF NEW RAINFALL IN THE PAST 21/2 HOURS. HE IS ALSO REPORTING SIGNIFICANT STREET FLOODING. |
| 06:00 UTC | HEAVY RAIN 4.32 | Salina Airport | Saline, KS | AMOUNT IS 6 HOUR TOTAL AS OF 1 AM. |
| 07:09 UTC | FLASH FLOOD | Solomon | Dickinson, KS | REPORTS OF 3 FEET OF WATER RUNNING ACROSS ROADS IN THE TOWN OF SOLOMON. ALSO, A REPORT OF 1 TO 2 FEET OF WATER CROSSING HWY 40 AT DAISY ROAD. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2007 tornado in KansasEvery tornado in Kansas since 1950Warnings in force in Kansas nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of May 5, 2007
96 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 5 | 1:21 AM CDT | EF1 | Barton, KS | 5.5 | 100 | $2.0 million | ||
| May 5 | 1:28 AM CDT | EF1 | Barton, KS | 6.2 | 125 | $57,000 | ||
| May 5 | 1:46 AM CDT | EF1 | Barton, KS | 5.2 | 100 | $40,000 | ||
| May 5 | 2:06 AM CDT | EF0 | Ellsworth, KS | 0.5 | 40 | $13,000 | ||
| May 5 | 12:23 PM CDT | EF1 | Custer, NE | 20.6 | 150 | $150,000 | ||
| May 5 | 11:57 AM MDT | EF0 | Logan, CO | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 1:03 PM CDT | EF1 | Custer, NE | 40.7 | 220 | $40,000 | ||
| May 5 | 2:05 PM CDT | EF1 | Brown, NE | 14.3 | 220 | $40,000 | ||
| May 5 | 3:48 PM CDT | EF0 | Knox, NE | 11.4 | 100 | $10,000 | ||
| May 5 | 3:57 PM CDT | EF1 | Keya Paha, NE | 16.7 | 100 | 1 | $100,000 | |
| May 5 | 4:31 PM CDT | EF1 | Miner, SD | 0.1 | 50 | $2,000 | ||
| May 5 | 4:33 PM CDT | EF2 | Bon Homme, SD | 3.5 | 100 | $50,000 | ||
| May 5 | 4:35 PM CDT | EF2 | Miner, SD | 1.0 | 100 | $20,000 | ||
| May 5 | 4:43 PM CDT | EF2 | Bon Homme, SD | 4.0 | 100 | $100,000 | ||
| May 5 | 4:48 PM CDT | EF0 | Pratt, KS | 1.4 | 30 | |||
| May 5 | 4:58 PM CDT | EF1 | Saline, NE | 18.3 | 400 | |||
| May 5 | 4:59 PM CDT | EF1 | Pratt, KS | 11.1 | 150 | |||
| May 5 | 5:00 PM CDT | EF0 | Hutchinson, SD | 0.2 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 5:10 PM CDT | EF0 | Hutchinson, SD | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 5:15 PM CDT | EF0 | Knox, NE | 1.5 | 200 | |||
| May 5 | 5:16 PM CDT | EF1 | Hutchinson, SD | 5.0 | 100 | |||
| May 5 | 5:17 PM CDT | EF0 | Knox, NE | 3.0 | 100 | |||
| May 5 | 5:20 PM CDT | EF1 | Hanson, SD | 1.9 | 100 | $10,000 | ||
| May 5 | 5:24 PM CDT | EF0 | Knox, NE | 5.3 | 150 | |||
| May 5 | 5:28 PM CDT | EF1 | Knox, NE | 8.9 | 440 | |||
| May 5 | 5:36 PM CDT | EF0 | Stafford, KS | 4.5 | 100 | |||
| May 5 | 5:41 PM CDT | EF1 | Hanson, SD | 0.5 | 100 | $10,000 | ||
| May 5 | 5:43 PM CDT | EF2 | Knox, NE | 5.5 | 500 | 3 | $1.0 million | |
| May 5 | 5:45 PM CDT | EF0 | Knox, NE | 3.5 | 100 | |||
| May 5 | 5:50 PM CDT | EF0 | Davison, SD | 3.5 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 5:52 PM CDT | EF0 | Yankton, SD | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 5:52 PM CDT | EF1 | Yankton, SD | 1.0 | 100 | 1 | $100,000 | |
| May 5 | 5:59 PM CDT | EF2 | Osborne, KS | 7.5 | 75 | 11 | $150,000 | |
| May 5 | 6:00 PM CDT | EF0 | Edwards, KS | 2.4 | 75 | |||
| May 5 | 6:05 PM CDT | EF3 | Aurora, SD | 4.0 | 200 | $300,000 | ||
| May 5 | 6:09 PM CDT | EF0 | Rice, KS | 0.3 | 40 | |||
| May 5 | 6:15 PM CDT | EF1 | Sanborn, SD | 0.5 | 100 | $20,000 | ||
| May 5 | 6:15 PM CDT | EF0 | Rice, KS | 1.5 | 40 | |||
| May 5 | 6:17 PM CDT | EF2 | Yankton, SD | 0.5 | 100 | $100,000 | ||
| May 5 | 6:30 PM CDT | EF0 | Gregory, SD | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 6:30 PM CDT | EF0 | Gregory, SD | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 6:33 PM CDT | EF0 | Comanche, KS | 1.9 | 30 | |||
| May 5 | 6:35 PM CDT | EF0 | Charles Mix, SD | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 6:40 PM CDT | EF1 | Brule, SD | 0.5 | 100 | |||
| May 5 | 6:45 PM CDT | EF0 | Barton, KS | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 6:54 PM CDT | EF0 | Barton, KS | 0.2 | 40 | |||
| May 5 | 7:01 PM CDT | EF2 | Edwards, KS | 2.7 | 75 | |||
| May 5 | 7:02 PM CDT | EF0 | Kiowa, KS | 7.8 | 75 | |||
| May 5 | 7:09 PM CDT | EF0 | Mills, IA | 4.0 | 80 | |||
| May 5 | 7:20 PM CDT | EF0 | Collingsworth, TX | 2.8 | 100 | |||
| May 5 | 7:22 PM CDT | EF2 | Kiowa, KS | 26.9 | 880 | |||
| May 5 | 7:23 PM CDT | EF2 | Hanson, SD | 10.5 | 400 | $60,000 | ||
| May 5 | 7:26 PM CDT | EF0 | Kiowa, KS | 1.3 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 7:27 PM CDT | EF1 | Collingsworth, TX | 7.0 | 200 | |||
| May 5 | 7:32 PM CDT | EF1 | Barton, KS | 4.0 | 100 | $60,000 | ||
| May 5 | 7:40 PM CDT | EF0 | Roger Mills, OK | 0.8 | 100 | |||
| May 5 | 7:47 PM CDT | EF1 | Miner, SD | 0.2 | 100 | $10,000 | ||
| May 5 | 7:47 PM CDT | EF0 | Miner, SD | 0.1 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 7:50 PM CDT | EF1 | Edwards, KS | 1.5 | 50 | |||
| May 5 | 7:50 PM CDT | EF1 | Fremont, IA | 11.3 | 200 |
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.