April 3rd 2011 severe storms

April Starts With a Bang!

April 3rd, 2011

What happened: Severe storms brought hail up to hen egg size and 70 mph winds to parts of East-Central Kansas. In Marion County up to two inch diameter hail was reported. Meanwhile severe straight-line winds knocked down multiple power poles northwest of El Dorado.

Meteorological Background: A strong cold front surged into Central Kansas during the evening hours of Sunday April 3rd. Strong south winds throughout the day transported unseasonably rich moisture into the eastern half of Kansas. Warm air in the mid levels inhibited storms from developing during the afternoon hours. However storms wasted no time developing once the strong cold front ran into the high low level moisture. Upper level winds greater than 115 mph provided plenty of wind shear for the storms to quickly become severe.

Behind the cold front, northwest winds (not associated with storms) gusted to around 50 mph across Central and South Central Kansas.

Overview loop of radar data, warnings and storm reports

Radar image around 715 pm of one of the more intense storms over Marion County

3-D view of the storm over Marion County showing the core of the storm extending over 40,000 ft

Surface analysis from 6 pm on April 3rd showing the strong cold front surging through Kansas

Winds behind the cold front, not associated with storms, often gusted to around 50 mph.

Photos

Power poles blown down northwest of El Dorado. Picture courtesy Butler County Emergency Management.

Power poles blown down northwest of El Dorado. Picture courtesy Butler County Emergency Management.