July 2nd 2011 central Kansas severe storms

Landspout Tornado and Large Hail Impact Central Kansas

July 2nd, 2011

A brief landspout tornado developed near Moundridge, KS early Saturday evening July 2nd 2011 around 7 pm. The thunderstorm which produced the rope-like tornado formed along and interacted with the surface stationary front draped from west to east across central Kansas. This surface boundary interacted with the low level wind flow into the storm updraft, causing the air to spin-up the brief landspout tornado. While no damage was reported, this landspout tornado was seen from several miles away. As the outflow from the parent thunderstorm surged west of the main updraft region, the source of the spinning updraft was cut-off, making the tornado rather brief. There were other reports of severe weather on the evening of July 2nd 2011, including strong damaging winds and large hail. Early in the evening, downburst winds downed power poles and large trees in the Arkansas City area. Later in the evening, after the landspout tornado, hail up to tennis ball size and 70 mph winds occurred across Ellsworth County in central Kansas.

Overview loop of radar data, warnings and storm reports

3-D image of the storm northwest of Moundridge at 714 PM.

Landspout Tornado

Radar Images

Base reflectivity image at 714 PM or shortly after a brief rope-like tornado was observed northwest of Moundridge.

Base velocity image at 714 PM or shortly after a brief rope-like tornado was observed northwest of Moundridge.

Large Hail in and near Ellsworth

Radar Images

Base reflecivity image showing three body scatter spike (TBSS) or hail spike in Ellsworth county at 814 PM.

Base velocity image with area of rotation southeast of Ellsworth at 814 PM.