Tornadoes · United States · Kansas · 2022
Unrated tornado, Manhattan to Zeandale, Kansas, June 11, 2022
From Manhattan to Zeandale, this Unrated tornado ran 0.0 miles across Riley County on June 11, 2022, touching down at 7:32 PM CDT and reaching 10 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 mph
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.
Unratedthis tornado
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
- Unrated
- Date
- June 11, 2022
- Touchdown
- 7:32 PM CDT (00:32 UTC)
- Path length
- 0.0 miles (0.0 km)
- Path width
- 10 yards (9 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- County
- Riley County
- Touchdown point
- 39.098, -96.474
- Lift-off point
- 39.098, -96.474
- Record number
- 2206111832-01
The damage survey
12 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS TOP, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF2. The highest wind the damage implies is 115 mph.
- Damage at KSU.roof lifted off a building into the chi o house.
- Video from chaser showed what appears to be a lowering with small fingers reaching to the ground for a brief period before moving south over the interstate. Location is estimated from video and radar. No damage reported so will be classified as EFU.
- Mix of large branches and trunks snapped appear to be felled toward ESE direction
- Partial roof removal and chimney damage broken windows
Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.
What the Weather Service recorded
One large high precipitation supercell formed near the Nebraska Kansas border and tracked south during the evening of June 11th producing widespread damaging straight line winds of 80-110 mph along with several small tornadoes. The majority of property damage was done by straight line winds within what was the rear flank downdraft of the supercell which was moving south southwest. The widespread destructive winds within the RFD often preceded any smaller vortex with the small tornadoes making damage from tornadoes difficult to distinguish from the downbursts and microbursts within the larger RFD swath. We believe there were at least 5 tornadoes that evening all EF0 or EF1. Ironically, the magnitude of damage from straight line winds in spots exceeded that of the smaller tornadoes.
Two surveys were done by NWS for this damage. It appears that a very short path narrow tornado occurred embedded on the northeast flank of small enhanced downburst that created widespread damaging north to northwest winds. Several homes were heavily damaged with the debris field blown to the northeast or approximately perpendicular to the movement. It appears the tornado was narrow and only 25-50 yards at the widest.
A storm chaser showed video of what appeared to be a brief funnel near the ground in open country north of Interstate 70. Any actual contact with the ground was brief and no damage was noted or reported. The feature lost its organization as it moved south over I-70.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, 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 tornado touched down at Jun 11, 6:38 PM CDT, 54 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 11, 6:38 PM CDT, 54 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Topeka KS 638 PM CDT Sat Jun 11 2022 ...Update to aviation forecast discussion... .DISCUSSION... Issued at 238 PM CDT Sat Jun 11 2022 Key messages: 1. Severe weather is possible mainly over far northeastern and east central Kansas this evening. 2. The heat ramps up Sunday afternoon with heat indices from 105- 110 degrees. A Heat Advisory has been issued. 3. Heat concerns continue through mid next week with several days of heat indices around 100 degrees. Highly conditional, yet potentially high impact setup for severe weather this afternoon, particularly over far northeast and east central Kansas. Temps this afternoon have quickly climbed into the low 90s while dewpoints have peaked into the low 70s. A weak sfc boundary from southeast NE into northern MO has been the source for a few elevated, non-severe cells shifting into northeast KS this afternoon. Cloud bases are pretty high around 10-12 kft and are tapping into some of the instability, however given the strong EML holding on, have not grown to severe limits. A few of the HREF members hinted at this scenario of weak showers and isolated thunder continuing to impact far northeast Kansas for the next 1-2 hours before the severe convection develops along the front further to the northwest in NE and IA from 21-23Z. As these storms move south and southeastward, EML weakens as sfc CAPE climbs over 5000 J/KG by early evening. Forecast soundings over far northeast into east central KS depict ample effective bulk shear over 50 kts while clockwise curved hodographs within 0-3 KM are conducive for all hazards as a possibility. If the cells are discrete supercells, tornado concerns increase given the environment, however it appears more likely updrafts merge into a cluster or line tracking southward over MO, clipping far eastern KS after 23Z. Very large hail and damaging wind gusts around 70 mph are the more likely hazards with these storms. Convection exits the CWA around 05Z as the frontal boundary settles near the KS/NE border. Lingering cloud cover and ample moisture warms overnight lows to the middle 70s, priming Sunday for an even hotter afternoon as sfc moisture pools along and just north of the weak boundary bisecting the CWA. Models are in general consensus for middle to potentially upper 70s while highs are progged in the middle 90s, resulting in heat indices from 105 to 110 degrees. A Heat Advisory has been issued for the entire forecast area through 9 PM. The passing upper ridge across the central CONUS gives way to an southwest flow pattern and thunderstorm complex developing off the high plains Sunday. Latest model runs are trending slower with this system and further north, perhaps only impacting north central KS late Sunday evening. The excessive heat continues through Wednesday as the upper ridge amplifies in response to a developing low pressure system over the Pacific Northwest. Fortunately low levels are more mixed with wind gusts in the afternoon, alleviating heat indices slightly between 100 and 105 degrees each afternoon. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Sunday evening) Issued at 638 PM CDT Sat Jun 11 2022 Expecting storms near the KS/NE border to continue to push SSE toward terminals over the next few hours. Still some uncertainty in how these storms will evolve, so may need to amend TAFs as storms approach. Strong wind gusts are expected with storms although large hail and a tornado is also possible. Storms move through fairly quickly with VFR conditions returning by 05-06z through the remainder of the period. && .TOP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Heat Advisory from 1 PM to 9 PM CDT Sunday for KSZ008>012- 020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059. && DISCUSSION...22 AVIATION...Flanagan
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 11, 2:48 PM CDT, 4 hours 44 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Topeka KS 248 PM CDT Sat Jun 11 2022 KSZ008>012-020>024-026-034>040-054>056-058-059-122000- Republic-Washington-Marshall-Nemaha-Brown-Cloud-Clay-Riley- Pottawatomie-Jackson-Jefferson-Ottawa-Dickinson-Geary-Morris- Wabaunsee-Shawnee-Douglas-Lyon-Osage-Franklin-Coffey-Anderson- 248 PM CDT Sat Jun 11 2022 This hazardous weather outlook is for east central...north central and northeast Kansas. .DAY ONE...Tonight Thunderstorms are possible across the entire outlook area this evening with the highest chance for severe storms being along and east of a line from Marysville to Topeka to Ottawa. Main hazards would be very large hail, and damaging wind gusts. A tornado or two cannot be ruled out, especially if storms that develop are discreet. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday. Heat indices from 105 to 110 degrees are expected Sunday afternoon for the entire outlook area. A Heat Advisory is in effect. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed through tonight. && More detailed information can be accessed at... http://www.weather.gov/media/top/DssPacket.pdf
In the hours before
Local storm report, Jun 11, 6:54 PM CDT, 38 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
654 PM CDT SAT JUN 11 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0640 PM TSTM WND DMG WATERVILLE 39.69N 96.75W
06/11/2022 MARSHALL KS TRAINED SPOTTER
12 INCH TREE LIMB DOWN AS WELL AS MULTIPLE
SMALLER LIMBS AS WELL.
&&
JWLocal storm report, Jun 11, 7:02 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
702 PM CDT SAT JUN 11 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0701 PM HAIL OLSBURG 39.43N 96.62W
06/11/2022 M1.75 INCH POTTAWATOMIE KS LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
MFLocal storm report, Jun 11, 7:15 PM CDT, 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
715 PM CDT SAT JUN 11 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0706 PM TORNADO 5 E OLSBURG 39.42N 96.52W
06/11/2022 POTTAWATOMIE KS EMERGENCY MNGR
SPOTTED FUNNEL CLOUD LOOKING WEST TOWARD
OLSBURG.
&&
MFLocal storm report, Jun 11, 7:18 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
718 PM CDT SAT JUN 11 2022
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0658 PM TSTM WND GST 5 S OLSBURG 39.35N 96.63W
06/11/2022 E70 MPH POTTAWATOMIE KS TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
MFLocal storm report, Jun 11, 7:27 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, Jun 11, 7:31 PM CDT, 1 minute before
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</html>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
0.5 hours before the tornado, 73 km from the path. June 12, 2022.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 3000 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -14 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 4822 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1516 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 35 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 10 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 47 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 239 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.0
- Supercell composite
- 15.5
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 6.5 K/km
The surface observations
Manhattan (MHK), 18 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00:00 UTC |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Topeka radar (KTWX), 24 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:31 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.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2022 tornado in KansasEvery tornado in Kansas since 1950Warnings in force in Kansas nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of June 11, 2022
10 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 11 | 2:38 AM EDT | EF0 | Charlotte, FL | 0.1 | 25 | |||
| June 11 | 12:00 PM PDT | Unrated | Umatilla, OR | 0.0 | 15 | |||
| June 11 | 5:18 PM CDT | Unrated | Gage, NE | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| June 11 | 5:40 PM CDT | EF1 | Gage, NE to KS | 4.2 | 150 | |||
| June 11 | 5:53 PM CDT | EF1 | Marshall, KS | 6.3 | 30 | |||
| June 11 | 6:02 PM CDT | EF1 | Marshall, KS | 0.7 | 30 | |||
| June 11 | 6:26 PM CDT | EF1 | Marshall, KS | 1.7 | 100 | |||
| June 11 | 7:04 PM CDT | EF1 | Pottawatomie, KS | 11.3 | 50 | |||
| June 11 | 7:20 PM CDT | EF2 | Riley, KS | 0.3 | 50 | $10 million | ||
| June 11 | 10:07 PM CDT | EF0 | Clinton, MO | 0.0 | 20 |
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.