June 18th widespread severe weather

by Ken Cook

A line of severe thunderstorms moved south out of Nebraska and into Kansas during the early morning hours of June 18th. Winds as high as 70 mph were reported to the National Weather Service in Wichita, with several areas of wind damage.

This map shows the locations of reported wind damage and severe wind speeds of 58 mph or greater received across the area. Note the location of the highest wind speeds. Much of the wind damage was confined to central and south-central Kansas.

The reflectivity and velocity loops from the WSR-88D radar in Wichita show the evolution of the system as it moved through the area. The velocity data from the Vance AFB WSR-88D radar in Oklahoma shows very strong winds affecting south-central Kansas. This image shows the strongest winds of the event on radar, 84 knots or 97 mph estimated by radar.

After the system exited the area, more winds moved over central and south-central Kansas. This was the result of a strong localized area of low pressure that developed, referred to as a wake low. In fact, the barometric pressure fell an amazing 8 millibars in one hour at the Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. This image shows the area of these winds as they were affecting the Wichita area.

Here is a summary of the reports received this morning during the event:

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
703 AM CDT WED JUN 18 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...    
...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST..
...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0218 AM     TSTM WND
GST     LURAY                   39.12N 98.69W
06/18/2008  M60.00 MPH 
     RUSSELL            KS   BROADCAST MEDIA

            KSN
WEATHER LAB REPORTED 60 MPH WIND GUST AT LURAY-LUCAS
           
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

0238 AM     TSTM WND GST     LURAY          
        39.12N 98.69W
06/18/2008  M65.00 MPH       RUSSELL           
KS   BROADCAST MEDIA

            KSN WEATHERLAB

0249
AM     TSTM WND GST     RUSSELL AIRPORT         38.87N 98.82W
06/18/2008  M64.00 MPH       RUSSELL            KS   ASOS

0250
AM     TSTM WND DMG     5 E RUSSELL             38.89N 98.76W
06/18/2008                   RUSSELL            KS   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SEMI TRAILER TRUCK BLOWEN OVER ON I-70.

0323
AM     HAIL             MARION                  38.35N 97.02W
06/18/2008  E1.25 INCH       MARION             KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0326 AM     TSTM WND GST     GREAT BEND              38.36N
98.81W
06/18/2008  M64.00 MPH       BARTON             KS   ASOS

0340 AM     TSTM WND GST     5 SSW BUSHTON           38.45N
98.44W
06/18/2008  E60.00 MPH       RICE               KS   TRAINED
SPOTTER

0350 AM     TSTM WND GST     5 NE NEWTON            
38.10N 97.28W
06/18/2008  E60.00 MPH       HARVEY             KS  
TRAINED SPOTTER

0353 AM     TSTM WND GST     LYONS             
     38.35N 98.20W
06/18/2008  E70.00 MPH       RICE               KS
  LAW ENFORCEMENT

            POWER OUT IN LYONS.

0401 AM     TSTM WND GST     NICKERSON               38.15N 98.09W
06/18/2008  E60.00 MPH       RENO               KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED POWER OUTAGE IN NICKERSON AND
60
            MPH WIND GUSTS.

0403 AM     TSTM WND GST   
 4 W BUHLER              38.14N 97.84W
06/18/2008  E60.00 MPH      
RENO               KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

0403 AM     TSTM WND GST
    5 W NICKERSON           38.15N 98.18W
06/18/2008  E70.00 MPH     
 RENO               KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

0404 AM     TSTM WND
DMG     NICKERSON               38.15N 98.09W
06/18/2008             
     RENO               KS   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LAW
ENFORCEMENT REPORTED SEVERAL TREE LIMBS DOWN IN THE
            TOWN
OF NICKERSON.

0415 AM     LIGHTNING        7 N GORHAM          
   38.98N 99.02W
06/18/2008                   RUSSELL            KS  
EMERGENCY MNGR

            LIGHTNING STRIKE SET TWO FEILD CRUDE
OIL TANKS ON FIRE.

0420 AM     TSTM WND GST     EAST WICHITA   
        37.68N 97.26W
06/18/2008  M59.00 MPH       SEDGWICK          
KS   ASOS

0425 AM     TSTM WND GST     KINGMAN                
37.65N 98.11W
06/18/2008  E60.00 MPH       KINGMAN            KS   LAW
ENFORCEMENT

            WIND GUST 55 TO 60 MPH AND HEAVY
RAIN.

0427 AM     TSTM WND GST     EAST WICHITA           
37.68N 97.26W
06/18/2008  M59.00 MPH       SEDGWICK           KS  
ASOS

0435 AM     TSTM WND DMG     CHENEY LAKE             37.75N
97.80W
06/18/2008                   RENO               KS   BROADCAST
MEDIA

            OFF DUTY KSN METEOROLOGIST REPORTED SEVERAL
LARGE TREE
            LIMBS DOWN AT CHENEY LAKE.

0449 AM 
   TSTM WND GST     KINGMAN                 37.65N 98.11W
06/18/2008 
M59.00 MPH       KINGMAN            KS   ASOS

0457 AM     TSTM
WND GST     CHENEY                  37.63N 97.78W
06/18/2008  E60.00
MPH       SEDGWICK           KS   BROADCAST MEDIA

           
OFF DUTY KSN METEOROLOGIST REPORTED 60MPH WIND GUST IN
           
CHENEY.

0500 AM     TSTM WND DMG     1 SSW HARPER           
37.28N 98.03W
06/18/2008                   HARPER             KS  
TRAINED SPOTTER

            HIGH WIND AND HEAVY RAIN WITH SMALL
TREE LIMBS DOWN.

0514 AM     HEAVY RAIN       3 E LAKE AFTON   
      37.61N 97.57W
06/18/2008  M1.00 INCH       SEDGWICK           KS
  TRAINED SPOTTER

            RAIN FELL IN 15-20 MIN. WIND TO 50
MPH.

0517 AM     TSTM WND GST     MILAN                   37.26N
97.67W
06/18/2008  E60.00 MPH       SUMNER             KS   TRAINED
SPOTTER

            HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL TREE LIMBS DOWN.

0530 AM     NON-TSTM WND GST 7 N MOUNDRIDGE          38.30N
97.52W
06/18/2008  E50.00 MPH       MCPHERSON          KS   TRAINED
SPOTTER

            SMALL BRANCHES DOWN.

0540 AM    
NON-TSTM WND GST 6 E CALDWELL            37.04N 97.50W
06/18/2008 
E65.00 MPH       SUMNER             KS   TRAINED SPOTTER

      
     TREE LIMBS DOWN.


&&

$$

CDJ