Southwesterly flow across the Rocky Mountains proved favorable for low-level lee cyclogenesis, and surface analyses late on March 12 depicted the formation of a 1,004 millibars (29.65 inHg) low-pressure area over eastern Colorado.

In the lower levels of the atmosphere, a low-level jet stretching from southern Texas into Iowa invigorated the northward transport of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.

A modified atmospheric profile near Hesston, Kansas, indicated convective available potential energy around 3,200 J/kg already in place at 12:00 UTC.

Into the afternoon hours, the surface low deepened to 996 millibars (29.41 inHg) as it progressed into western Kansas and the Oklahoma panhandle.

Steep mid-level lapse rates further contributed to destabilization of the atmosphere, while moisture content and vertical wind profiles continued to improve.

[2] Alongside the tornado outbreak in the warm sector of the low-pressure area, seasonally cold air on the backside of the low contributed to severe wintry weather, with snowfall up to 8 inches (200 mm) and blizzard-like conditions reported across the Nebraska panhandle.

[5] (based on NOAA Storm Data) The F5 tornadoes that struck Hesston and Goessel were both spawned by the same supercell thunderstorm.

A total of 226 homes and 21 businesses were destroyed, and several were swept completely from their foundations with only slabs and empty basements remaining.

The storm passed Goessel, clipped the northwestern portion of Hillsboro, then dissipated just NE of Risley, approximately 22 miles (35 km) from its genesis.

[9][10][11] The same supercell would produce another long-tracked F2 tornado that damaged many farms and destroyed four homes on the southern side of Dwight.