STORM2K

477
ABUS34 KICT 131200
PNSICT

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
601 AM CST SAT MAR 13 2004

...ON THIS DATE IN WEATHER HISTORY...

IN 1990, 19 TORNADOES ROARED ACROSS KANSAS. THE LARGEST
AND MOST DAMAGING OF ALL WAS THE INFAMOUS HESSTON TORNADO
IN HARVEY COUNTY. THE TORNADO DEVELOPED JUST SOUTH OF
PRETTY PRAIRIE LATE IN THE AFTERNOON, AND QUICKLY
STRENGTHENED TO F5 INTENSITY AS IT POSSESSED ROTATIONAL
VELOCITIES BETWEEN 260 AND 319 MPH. IT TRAVELED
NORTHEAST FOR 48 MILES, STRIKING THE WEST SIDE OF
HESSTON.

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Were there any injuries or deaths?

Stephanie wrote:Were there any injuries or deaths?

I remember this date pretty well even though I was like 9 years old! In Harvey County, 1 fatality was reported along with 59 injuries. THis monster was on the ground for 2 hours straight!

I lived in Omaha at the time, and we were very close to another long-tracked F4 tornado that stayed on the ground for about 120 miles in south-central Nebraska. Thankfully, it did not affect the Omaha metro area or the storms weakened with the loss of heating.