Tornadoes · United States · Kansas · 2010

EF0 tornado, Grenola, Kansas, May 10, 2010

This EF0 tornado ran 0.3 miles across Elk County on May 10, 2010, touching down at 5:28 PM CDT and reaching 75 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.

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. 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.

  7. 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 10, 2010
Touchdown
5:28 PM CDT (22:28 UTC)
Lifted
5:30 PM CDT (22:30 UTC)
On the ground
2 minutes
Path length
0.3 miles (0.4 km)
Path width
75 yards (69 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Elk County
Touchdown point
37.314, -96.503
Lift-off point
37.317, -96.500
Record number
1005101628-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening hours of May 10th, 2010, ahead of an approaching dry line and warm front. This dynamic environment coupled with an unstable airmass led to the development of thunderstorms to the west and south of Wichita, Kansas with tornado producing supercells moving across portions of South Central Kansas. Two supercells in particular produced significant damage across portions of Kingman, Sedgwick and Cowley counties with some of the damage classified as EF-2 damage by survey teams.

The tornado briefly touched down in a pasture and caused no damage.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

10 minutes of warning. NWS ICT issued a tornado warning for this county at 22:18 UTC, 10 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 22:41 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 18:25 UTC and running to 01:00 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
18:25 UTC01:00 UTCTornado WatchICT
22:18 UTC22:41 UTCTornado WarningICT
23:23 UTC00:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningICT
23:27 UTC01:06 UTCFlood WarningICT

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, with a 0.30 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 19:59 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.

Lamont, OK (KLMN), 12:00Z

10.5 hours before the tornado, 116 km from the path. May 10, 2010.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lamont, OK at 12:00Z on 2010-05-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 5 joules per kilogram, CIN 0, lifted condensation level 456 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Lamont, OK at 12:00Z on 2010-05-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 677 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 48 knots.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
5 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
456 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
677 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
749 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.3
0-3 km lapse rate
1.2 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Lamont, OK (KLMN), 00:00Z

1.5 hours after it, 116 km from the path. May 11, 2010.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Lamont, OK at 00:00Z on 2010-05-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN -46829, lifted condensation level 4602 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Lamont, OK at 00:00Z on 2010-05-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -165 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 65 knots.1939587897117136Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-46829 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
4602 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-165 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-55 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
8.1 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Winfield (WLD), 50 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
20:54 UTC6562160° 20 kt29999.7VCTS BR
21:09 UTC66.262.6150° 14 kt23999TS BR
21:38 UTC64.462.6150° 12 kt23998.6+TSRA BR
21:59 UTC64.462.6 3 kt21997TS
22:26 UTC6864.4150° 16 kt26995.3BR
22:54 UTC6864140° 16 kt26994.9VCTS BR
23:15 UTC69.866.2260° 7 kt27996.6-TSRA BR SQ
23:41 UTC75.266.2230° 12 kt16997.3
23:54 UTC7563250° 15 kt20997.6

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Wichita radar (KICT), 91 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 22:26 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)ReportWhereCountyRemark
21:55 UTCTSTM WND GST 60WinfieldCowley, KS
21:55 UTCTSTM WND GST 63Arkansas CityCowley, KS
22:05 UTCTORNADO6 E Arkansas CityCowley, KS
22:25 UTCFUNNEL CLOUD4 N DexterCowley, KS
22:28 UTCTORNADO4 Sw GrenolaElk, KS
23:00 UTCHAIL 0.56 Sw AugustaButler, KS
23:05 UTCHAIL 1AugustaButler, KSALONG WITH 50 MPH WIND.
23:12 UTCHAIL 1.25LeonButler, KS
23:21 UTCTSTM WND GST 70DouglassButler, KS2 TO 4 INCH DIAMETER TREES REPORTED DOWN.
23:21 UTCHAIL 12 W RosaliaButler, KSREPORT ALONG US 54
23:27 UTCHAIL 110 W EurekaGreenwood, KS
23:29 UTCTSTM WND GST 633 Nw DexterCowley, KS
23:35 UTCHAIL 1EurekaGreenwood, KS65 TO 70 MPH WIND GUSTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED.
23:53 UTCTSTM WND GST 80S SedanChautauqua, KS

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2010 tornado in KansasEvery tornado in Kansas since 1950Warnings in force in Kansas nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of May 10, 2010

70 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
May 101:27 PM CDTEF1Wichita, KS0.925$5,000
May 101:31 PM CDTEF0Wichita, KS1.325
May 101:50 PM CDTEF0Logan, KS1.625
May 102:00 PM CDTEF0Scott, KS0.125
May 102:18 PM CDTEF0Logan, KS2.225
May 102:22 PM CDTEF0Logan, KS1.325
May 103:08 PM CDTEF0Ness, KS0.325
May 103:33 PM CDTEF0Grant, OK0.520
May 103:38 PM CDTEF3Grant, OK to KS40.71,5002$125,000
May 103:39 PM CDTEF0Grant, OK0.330
May 104:03 PM CDTEF0Grant, OK0.330
May 104:12 PM CDTEF0Kingman, KS2.7125
May 104:15 PM CDTEF1Grant, OK5.0500
May 104:17 PM CDTEF1Kay, OK6.7400
May 104:21 PM CDTEF0Kay, OK0.850
May 104:34 PM CDTEF2Kingman, KS3.1700$125,000
May 104:44 PM CDTEF1Kingman, KS1.8300
May 104:46 PM CDTEF0Kingfisher, OK6.730
May 104:46 PM CDTEF0Canadian, OK0.230
May 104:46 PM CDTEF0Canadian, OK4.040
May 104:49 PM CDTEF1Cowley, KS1.4300$200,000
May 104:53 PM CDTEF0Noble, OK0.520
May 104:58 PM CDTEF1Sedgwick, KS5.1300$50,000
May 105:00 PM CDTEF1Noble, OK21.02,460$50,000
May 105:02 PM CDTEF1Noble, OK1.540
May 105:05 PM CDTEF1Jefferson, OK5.050
May 105:08 PM CDTEF1Cowley, KS0.7150$15,000
May 105:13 PM CDTEF0Oklahoma, OK0.220
May 105:20 PM CDTEF1Stephens, OK6.3700
May 105:20 PM CDTEF4Moore–Choctaw tornado, OK24.02,000249
May 105:22 PM CDTEF1Cleveland, OK3.8250
May 105:27 PM CDTEF1Cleveland, OK0.550
May 105:32 PM CDTEF4Norman–Lake Thunderbird tornado, OK22.3880132
May 105:33 PM CDTEF0Osage, OK0.175
May 105:34 PM CDTEF1Cleveland, OK5.5250
May 105:36 PM CDTEF1McClain, OK4.6880
May 105:37 PM CDTEF0McClain, OK0.8150
May 105:39 PM CDTEF2Cleveland, OK17.44403
May 105:41 PM CDTEF0Osage, OK1.050
May 105:44 PM CDTEF0Jefferson, OK1.530
May 105:45 PM CDTEF0Osage, OK1.075
May 105:48 PM CDTEF3Pottawatomie, OK6.58803
May 105:50 PM CDTEF0Stephens, OK2.050
May 105:56 PM CDTEF3Pottawatomie, OK37.22,20028$15,000
May 106:04 PM CDTEF2Carter, OK4.5400
May 106:22 PM CDTEF3Carter, OK4.9400
May 106:25 PM CDTEF0Carter, OK0.530
May 106:45 PM CDTEF1Okfuskee, OK14.01,000$40,000
May 106:52 PM CDTEF0Cleveland, OK2.080
May 106:54 PM CDTEF1Love, OK2.0200
May 107:03 PM CDTEF0Okmulgee, OK0.5100$1,000
May 107:04 PM CDTEF2Okmulgee, OK12.01,250$150,000
May 107:08 PM CDTEF0Marshall, OK0.740
May 107:15 PM CDTEF0Marshall, OK0.640
May 107:16 PM CDTEF2McIntosh, OK1.8300$40,000
May 107:17 PM CDTEF1Okfuskee, OK15.5650$40,000
May 107:23 PM CDTEF2McIntosh, OK13.0800$125,000
May 107:25 PM CDTEF0McIntosh, OK0.4100
May 107:28 PM CDTEF1McIntosh, OK2.6600$3,000
May 107:30 PM CDTEF1McIntosh, OK1.0300$2,000

All 71 of them

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.