High Wind — Cowley, Kansas

2025-03-14 · Cowley, Kansas

Event narrative

The highest wind gust was a 72 mph wind gust measured by a personal weather station in Arkansas City at 1:35 PM CDT. Wind gusts over 60 mph continued across the county over the next couple of hours, including a 69 mph wind gust recorded at Strother-Field Airport at 3:47 PM CDT.

Wider weather episode

A strong, dynamic system dug into the southern and central plains, and a swath of warm and extreme dry air punched into portions of Oklahoma along with south-central and southeast Kansas. This very dry air was accompanied by very strong southwesterly winds with gusts between 58 and 77 mph. These strong winds caused damage across a large portion of southern and eastern Kansas. Additionally, several large wildfires occurred as a result of dry and very windy conditions, one of which burned down a retirement home in Yates Center.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1243907. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.