On the evening of Tuesday, February 28 2012, a very strong upper level storm system caused widespread thunderstorms to form across most of central and eastern Kansas. The storms initiated approximately 4:00 PM and increased in coverage and intensity throughout the night. Since atmospheric instability was not extremely high there were few reports of severe hail; however, many structures across the area were damaged due to strong, straight-line thunderstorm winds.
The most significant event from the evening of February 28 was a strong tornado that impacted Harveyville, Kansas at approximately 9:03 pm CST. The town sustained significant damage to some structures, including an apartment complex and a church. On Wednesday, February 29 a National Weather Service survey crew traveled to Harveyville to assess the damage. The tornado caused at least 12 injuries and one fatality. The survey crew gave a preliminary assessment of EF-2 damage, indicating wind speeds of 111 - 135 mph.
Three other tornadoes occurred across the area that night, but no injuries and only marginal damage to outbuildings and structures occurred from these other tornadoes.

Hail in OSAGE, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 21:12:00 to 28-FEB-12 21:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: BURLINGAME
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in SHAWNEE, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 21:15:00 to 28-FEB-12 21:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: MENOKEN
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Tornado in FRANKLIN, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 22:06:00 to 28-FEB-12 22:08:00 (CST-6)
Location: CENTROPOLIS
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Franklin and Douglas County Emergency Managers surveyed damage from a tornado that crossed the border between the two counties. A very well defined and continuous swath of enhanced damage from a brief tornado was noted from both Emergency Managers. No specific town was impacted by the tornado, but many rural residences and farmsteads sustained quite a bit of damage in the form of damaged homes and  destroyed outbuildings, trailers, and grain bins.

Hail in DOUGLAS, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 21:35:00 to 28-FEB-12 21:36:00 (CST-6)
Location: STULL
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Tornado in CLOUD, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 17:36:00 to 28-FEB-12 17:38:00 (CST-6)
Location: JAMESTOWN
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Reported by: Emergency Manager

The first batch of storms formed across central Kansas and as they moved to the northeast gathered strength. One of the storms produced a brief and weak tornado in far western Cloud County. No significant damage or injuries occurred from this tornado.

Hail in OSAGE, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 22:02:00 to 28-FEB-12 22:03:00 (CST-6)
Location: MICHIGAN VLY
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Tornado in REPUBLIC, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 18:05:00 to 28-FEB-12 18:08:00 (CST-6)
Location: BELLEVILLE ARPT
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Reported by: Public

Another brief tornado formed from the storm that caused the tornado near Jamestown, Kansas earlier that evening. This tornado did relatively little damage, but did end up causing some minor damage to a few residences near Belleville, Kansas; and produced some extensive tree damage to the Belleville Country Club. There, several 24+ diameter trees were uprooted and snapped near the ground. Aside from the residence and tree damage, several outbuildings near Belleville were also damaged in the weak and brief tornado.

Hail in MORRIS, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 19:57:00 to 28-FEB-12 20:02:00 (CST-6)
Location: BURDICK
Magnitude: 1.75 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Tornado in OSAGE, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 21:04:00 to 28-FEB-12 21:06:00 (CST-6)
Location: BURLINGAME
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This is the continued path of the tornado that crossed from Wabaunsee County into Osage County and weakened.  The tornado path narrowed and damaged hedge row trees and two structures before dissipating.

Hail in MORRIS, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 20:20:00 to 28-FEB-12 20:21:00 (CST-6)
Location: WILSEY
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in DOUGLAS, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 21:44:00 to 28-FEB-12 21:48:00 (CST-6)
Location: LAWRENCE
Magnitude: 53.00 MG
Reported by: ASOS

A strong storm moved through Lawrence and did some tree damage. At the Lawrence Municipal Airport the ASOS  station measured a 61 mph wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind in COFFEY, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 22:05:00 to 28-FEB-12 22:08:00 (CST-6)
Location: LE ROY
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

This was a delayed report from a resident near Le Roy, Kansas.  A couple outbuildings were destroyed and a barn had its roof peeled off in the thunderstorm winds.

Hail in MORRIS, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 20:20:00 to 28-FEB-12 20:23:00 (CST-6)
Location: COUNCIL GROVE ARPT
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Storm Chaser

Hail in MORRIS, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 20:25:00 to 28-FEB-12 20:26:00 (CST-6)
Location: HELMICK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in OTTAWA, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 18:35:00 to 28-FEB-12 18:38:00 (CST-6)
Location: DELPHOS
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

This was a delayed report from a trained storm spotter that estimated a 60 mph wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind in WASHINGTON, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 19:15:00 to 28-FEB-12 19:21:00 (CST-6)
Location: LINN
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained storm spotters across Washington County reported 60 mph winds.

Thunderstorm Wind in SHAWNEE, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 21:19:00 to 28-FEB-12 21:22:00 (CST-6)
Location: TOPEKA
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Shawnee County Emergency Manager reported a 60 mph wind gust at the intersection of 29th Street and Oakley Street in Topeka.

Thunderstorm Wind in OSAGE, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 21:50:00 to 28-FEB-12 21:56:00 (CST-6)
Location: OSAGE CITY
Magnitude: 58.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter in Osage City reported a measured 67 mph wind gust. Another spotter near Lyndon reported an estimated 60 mph wind gust.

Thunderstorm Wind in MORRIS, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 19:57:00 to 28-FEB-12 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BURDICK
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter reported an estimated 60 mph wind gust near Herington.

Tornado in DOUGLAS, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 22:08:00 to 28-FEB-12 22:11:00 (CST-6)
Location: GLOBE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Reported by: Emergency Manager

This is a continuation of the tornado track from Franklin County.  Franklin and Douglas County Emergency Managers surveyed damage from a tornado that crossed the border between the two counties. A very well defined and continuous swath of enhanced damage from a brief tornado was noted from both Emergency Managers. No specific town was impacted by the tornado, but many rural residences and farmsteads sustained quite a bit of damage in the form of damaged homes and destroyed outbuildings, trailers, and grain bins.

Tornado in WABAUNSEE, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 21:02:00 to 28-FEB-12 21:04:00 (CST-6)
Location: HARVEYVILLE
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

As the line of thunderstorms moved eastward across northeast Kansas on of the strongest storms spawned a brief, but very strong tornado, which impacted the town of Harveyville, Kansas. The tornado was short-lived, but was able to destroy a large portion of the town. Several houses were completely destroyed, as was a church in the center of town. A National Weather Service survey team determined that the tornado rated an EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. At least a dozen injuries occurred with this storm, one of which became fatal after a day in the hospital.  The tornado continued into Osage County and weakened.

Hail in WABAUNSEE, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 20:55:00 to 28-FEB-12 20:56:00 (CST-6)
Location: ESKRIDGE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in WABAUNSEE, KANSAS
From 28-FEB-12 21:04:00 to 28-FEB-12 21:04:00 (CST-6)
Location: BRADFORD
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter