SCARY WEDGE TORNADO ON THE GROUND OUTSIDE OF CHAPMAN, KANSAS THIS EVENING! (credit: Sarah Szymborski)

DISCUSSION: As a convective storm fired up across Central Kansas earlier this evening, one particular storm near Minneapolis, Kansas encountered strong instability and vertical wind shear.  As this storm remained in an environment favorable for the development and maintenance of supercell thunderstorms, a tornado developed just to the east of Bennington, Kansas.  Shortly after that time, the tornado strengthened and widened into a violent wedge tornado which maxed out at approximately 0.75 miles wide!  Unfortunately, this storm damaged a number of farms to the south of Chapman as well as areas to the east and west!  For more on this and other high-impact weather content across the United States, be sure to click here!