EF1 tornado in Pottawatomie County, Kansas

A tornado formed just east of Olsburg and tracked south southwest to the Spillway State Park on the southeast side Tuttle Creek Reservoir. The circulation became broad and dominated by the northwest winds of the RFD (rear flank downdraft) as it moved over the Tuttle Creek Dam and state park. Enhanced destructive northwest winds then appeared to have descended into the city of Manhattan where widespread 80 to 100 mph winds were likely and did widespread damage. Radar also indicated smaller microbursts where winds were likely in excess of 100 mph out of the NNW across the city of Manhattan. NWS survey documented the worst damage in Manhattan where winds were likely 100 to 110 mph.

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.