Haysville-Wichita tornado
During the nighttime hours of May 3, 1999, a deadly, long-tracked and violent F4 tornado struck the town of Haysville, Kansas and the southern portions of the city of Wichita, Kansas. Occurring amidst a major tornado outbreak that took place across the region from May 2 to 5, this tornado, referred to as either the Haysville–Wichita tornado or more simply the Haysville tornado, killed six people in total and injured more than 145 others along its 24 mi (39 km)-long path. Approximately $145 million in damages were caused by the tornado, most of which came from Haysville. It was the second of two deadly twisters Haysville was severely impacted by in the 1990s, with the previous being the 1991 Andover tornado.
What was the Haysville-Wichita tornado?
The Haysville-Wichita tornado was a violent, long-tracked F4 event that struck Kansas on the night of May 3, 1999. It caused significant devastation in the town of Haysville and southern portions of Wichita. Part of a larger regional outbreak, this storm killed six people and injured more than 145 others. It maintained a violent status for much of its path, ultimately leaving behind an estimated $145 million in damages.
What was the Haysville-Wichita tornado wind speed?
The Haysville-Wichita tornado reached peak recorded wind speeds of 134 mph. A local home weather station located on 44th Street captured this specific gust measurement before the storm destroyed the structure. This data point helps confirm the violent nature of the winds present within the core of the tornado as it traveled through the Haysville area. Damage surveys eventually classified the storm as an F4 on the Fujita scale.
What was the Haysville-Wichita tornado path?
The tornado touched down 4 miles north of Wellington in Sumner County at 8:13 p.m. CDT. It tracked north-northeast for approximately 24 miles before dissipating in the College Hill District of Northeast Wichita at 8:55 p.m. CDT. Along this journey, it crossed into Sedgwick County about 1 mile west of Peck. The storm moved through the Haysville business district and southern Wichita residential areas before finally lifting.
How many people died in the Haysville-Wichita tornado?
The Haysville-Wichita tornado killed six people in total along its 24-mile path. The storm injured more than 145 other individuals during its progression through Sumner and Sedgwick Counties. Three people died in a Haysville mobile home park, while a fourth victim perished in the town's central business district. Two final fatalities occurred when the tornado leveled the Lakeshore and Pacesetter mobile home parks in South Wichita.
What did the Haysville-Wichita tornado destroy?
The tornado obliterated the entirety of Haysville's historic district, leaving only a bank vault standing on the east side of Main Street. Across Sedgwick County, the storm destroyed 1,109 buildings and damaged over 7,000 others. It leveled multiple mobile home parks, including the Lakeshore and Pacesetter locations. Within Haysville specifically, 186 buildings sustained damage or destruction, including the local community library which remained out of service until that October.
What caused the Haysville-Wichita tornado?
A vigorous upper-level trough moved into the Central Plains on the morning of May 3, creating an unstable air mass. Atmospheric conditions featured dew point values near 65 degrees Fahrenheit and CAPE levels potentially exceeding 4000 J/kg. Strong directional wind shear and cooling temperatures at high levels further supported supercell development. The Storm Prediction Center identified these factors and issued a high severe weather risk, noting the potential for violent, long-tracked tornadoes.
What happened after the Haysville-Wichita tornado?
Communities began the cleanup process immediately following the dissipation of the storm. The town of Haysville spent months restoring essential services, with the community library finally reopening in October 1999. Local residents and government entities coordinated damage assessments, totaling losses at $145 million. Years later, the town continued to honor the event, holding a memorial in 2024 to mark 25 years since the disaster.
Haysville-Wichita Tornado Track
The mapped ground track below shows the surveyed touchdown point, damage corridor, and dissipation coordinates recorded by NWS field crews. The Haysville-Wichita tornado traveled 24 mi across Sumner County, Haysville, Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas. Coordinates are derived from the official SPC historical tornado database.
When did the Haysville-Wichita tornado occur?
The Haysville-Wichita tornado touched down on the night of May 3, 1999.
How long was the path of the Haysville-Wichita tornado?
The tornado traveled along a path measuring 24 miles in length.
What Fujita rating did the Haysville-Wichita tornado receive?
National Weather Service damage surveys assigned the tornado an F4 rating.
How many buildings were destroyed in Sedgwick County?
The tornado destroyed 1,109 buildings throughout Sedgwick County.