Incredible Supercell Impacts Leoti, KS

The past several days have been fairly active for severe weather across the Central Plains. The reason being is that for the first time all year, we have had favorable mid level and lower level synoptic flow across much of the Midwest, and we have had substantial moisture return across the Central Plains.

500 mb flow from Saturday's event. h/t SPC
500 mb flow from Saturday’s event. h/t SPC
700 mb flow from Saturday's event. h/t SPC
700 mb flow from Saturday’s event. h/t SPC
850 mb flow from Saturday's event. h/t SPC
850 mb flow from Saturday’s event. h/t SPC

On Saturday, this resulted in a monster supercell forming in western Kansas along a warm frontal boundary, specifically in Leoti, KS. The Leoti Supercell essentially developed and was sustained by a warm front, and sat stationary for several hours on along this boundary. Wind shear is enhanced along warm frontal boundaries, as the wind direction typically shifts more easterly along and north of the boundary.

An analysis of the dryline and warm front placement for Saturday's event. Leoti, KS is placed where the black star is. h/t UCAR Archive
An analysis of the dryline and warm front placement for Saturday’s event. Leoti, KS is placed where the black star is. h/t UCAR Archive

The combination of deep boundary layer moisture, and an enhanced shear profile along the warm front created the conditions necessary to develop and sustain a long lived, monster supercell. And the Leoti supercell was that. Storm Chasers, including WKU’s own Storm Chase class, flocked to the storm, and this resulted in some of the coolest images of a supercell I have ever seen.

It was especially cool because the storm sat over an open field for the majority of its lifespan. Storms like these don’t come along often, but they are awesome when they do.