PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
246 PM CDT FRI JUL 1 2005

...A SERIES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WREAK HAVOC ACROSS NEOSHO
COUNTY KANSAS...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PERSONNEL FROM WICHITA HAVE COMPLETED
A PRELIMINARY DAMAGE SURVEY FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT OCCURRED
DURING THE EVENING OF THURSDAY, JUNE 30TH.

THREE SEPARATE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVED ACROSS NEOSHO COUNTY,
PRODUCING WIDESPREAD TREE, CROP AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. A MAJORITY OF
THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY EXTREME STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, ESTIMATED TO
RANGE FROM 70 TO 100 MPH. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE MOST EXTENSIVE
IN A WIDE SWATH STRETCHING FROM CHANUTE TO ERIE TO ST. PAUL.
NUMEROUS LARGE TREES WERE UPROOTED, SOME THREE TO FOUR FEET IN
DIAMETER. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE ALSO OCCURRED TO ROOFS OF SOME HOMES AND
BUSINESSES. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL BARNS, SHEDS AND OUTBUILDINGS WERE
DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. FURTHERMORE, LARGE HAIL TO THE SIZE OF AT
LEAST GOLF BALLS (MAINLY FROM THE FIRST STORM), ALONG WITH DAMAGING
WINDS PRODUCED WIDESPREAD CROP DAMAGE. AMAZINGLY, THE THREE STORMS
OCCURRED OVER A RELATIVELY SHORT, FOUR-HOUR TIME PERIOD, BETWEEN THE
HOURS OF 730 PM AND 1130 PM.

ONE PERSON WAS INJURED DURING THIS FOUR-HOUR ORDEAL. A MAN SUSTAINED
INJURIES TO HIS LEGS WHEN THE HIGH WINDS TOPPLED A TREE ONTO HIS
CABIN. UNFORTUNATELY, HE REMAINS HOSPITALIZED.

STORM SPOTTERS AND EYEWITNESSES REPORTED SEVERAL BRIEF TORNADO
TOUCHDOWNS ACROSS NORTHWEST AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF NEOSHO COUNTY,
AS WELL AS OVER NORTHEAST LABETTE COUNTY. THESE TORNADOES WERE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST SEVERE THUNDERSTORM. HOWEVER, NO TORNADIC
DAMAGE COULD BE FOUND.