Alert archive / Kansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1986

Flash Flood Warning 5, NWS Topeka, KS

July 6, 1986McPherson County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this flash flood warning at Jul 6, 1986, 3:35 PM CDT for McPherson County, Kansas. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 6, 1986, 3:35 PM CDT (20:35 UTC)
Expired
Jul 6, 1986, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County McPherson County, KS

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 187 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 1986-07-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1384 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 12:00Z on 1986-07-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -11 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1384 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
691 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-34 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KCNK 062045 COR
FFWCNK
KSC113-070100-

BULLETIN EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
335 PM CDT SUN JUL 6 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE
UNTIL 800 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF

CENTRAL KANSAS...MCPHERSON

AT 335 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED STRONG TO INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS FROM
5 MILES SOUTH OF SALINA THROUGH MCPHERSON TO 20 MILES WEST OF
HUTCHINSON MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.  THE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS OVER SATURATED GROUND.



RUNOFF FROM HEAVY RAINS IN THE WARNING AREA WILL LIKELY FLOOD
STREAMS AND LOW AREAS.  BE CAREFUL DRIVING AND DON/T TRY TO CROSS

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS ISSUED ONLY WHEN FLASH FLOODING HAS BEEN
REPORTED OR IS EXPECTED SHORTLY.  TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS NOW.

PHILLIPS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 6, 11:07 AM CDT, 4 hours 28 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1105 AM CDT SUN JUL 6 1986

AT 1105 AM CDT LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED OVER SOUTHEAST
NEBRASKA..NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL KANSAS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 30
MILES WEST OF OMAHA NEBRASKA TO BELLEVILLE KANSAS TO 40 MILES WEST
OF HAYS KANSAS.  THE SHOWERS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

SOME SMALL STREAM AND LOWLAND FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED OVER PARTS
OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS DURING THE MORNING HOURS AND ALTHOUGH THE
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DECREASED IN INTENSITY TO SHOWERS PERSONS LIVING
ALONG SMALL STREAMS OR LOW LYING AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR
POSSIBLE FLOODING AS THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY INCREASE AGAIN
SBY LATE AFTERNOON.

PHILLIPS
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 11:59 AM CDT, 3 hours 36 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1155 AM CDT SUN JUL 6 1986

AT 1155 AM CDT NEWLY DEVELOPED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN
WERE 5 MILES WEST OF HERINGTON..5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MCPHERSON..5
MILES SOUTHEAST OF ABILENE AND 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF LYONS..ALL IN
CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

OTHER LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED
OVER A LARGE AREA SOUTH OF A LINE FROM OMAHA NEBRASKA TO BELOIT
KANSAS TO 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF RUSSELL KANSAS AND WERE ALSO MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

SMALL STREAM AND LOWLAND FLOODING CONTINUES OVER PARTS OF NORTH
CENTRAL KANSAS AND SMALL STREAMS CONTINUE TO RISE IN CENTRAL KANSAS.
PERSONS LIVING ALONG OR HAVING INTERESTS ALONG SMALL STREAMS SHOULD
TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AS THE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS WILL
LIKELY CONTINUE TO INCREASE DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
>
PHILLIPS
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 12:52 PM CDT, 2 hours 43 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1250 PM CDT SUN JUL 6 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING OVER CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 1250 PM CDT A NEWLY DEVELOPED 5 MILE WIDE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN EXTENDED FROM 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF HERINGTON
TO 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LYONS IN CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE THUNDERSTORMS
IN THE LINE WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

OTHER LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER
A LARGE AREA SOUTH OF A LINE FROM 25 MILES SOUTH OF OMAHA NEBRASKA
TO CONCORDIA KANSAS TO 20 MILES WEST OF LARNED KANSAS.  THE AREA
WAS DRIFTING SOUTHEAST AT 5 TO 10 MPH WHILE THE INDIVIDUAL SHOWERS WERE
MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

SOME SMALL STREAM AND LOW LAND FLOODING WILL CONTINUE OVER NORTH
CENTRAL KANSAS WHILE SMALL STREAM AND LOWLAND FLOODING WILL BE ON
THE INCREASE THROUGH CENTRAL KANSAS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS.
>
PERSONS LIVING NEAR OR WITH INTERESTS ALONG SMALL STREAMS OR FLOOD
PRONE AREAS SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS.

PHILLIPS

<
NAME
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 1:58 PM CDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
155 PM CDT SUN JUL 6 1986

AT 155 PM CDT AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HERINGTON
IN CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE THUNDERSTORM WAS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND SOME HAIL.  THE THUNDERSTORM WAS IN A 5 MILE
WIDE LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES EAST OF
HERINGTON TO 20 MILES SOUTH OF HUTCHINSON.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH AND WERE PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN.

OTHER WIDELY SCATTERED LIGHT TO MODERATE SHOWERS CONTINUED SOUTH OF A
LINE FROM 20 MILES SOUTH OF OMAHA NEBRASKA TO LINCOLN KANSAS TO 20 MILES
SOUTH OF LARNED KANSAS.  THE SHOWERS WERE ALSO MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

SMALL CREEK AND LOW LAND FLOODING WILL BE ON THE INCREASE FOR THE
REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON IN MCPHERSON AND RICE COUNTIES OF CENTRAL
KANSAS AS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THOSE COUNTIES
WHERE THE GROUND IS SATURATED FROM RAINS RECEIVED LAST NIGHT AND THIS
MORNING.
<
PHILLIPS
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 3:04 PM CDT, 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
300 PM CDT SUN JUL 6 1986

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH PARTS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS REST OF THE
AFTERNOON...

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON FOR
PARTS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS. THE WATCH INCLUDES THESE COUN
TIES: MCPHERSON..MARION..DICKENSON..GEARY..MORRIS AND WAUBAUNSEE.

AT 3PMCDT RADAR INDICATES A BAND OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS NEAR 25 MILES
WIDE CENTRED ON A LINE FROM NEAR TOPEKA TO CENTRAL MORRIS COUNTY TO
NEAR MCPHERSON AND INTO SOUTHWEST KANSAS. THE RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS
WERE MOVING TO THE EASTNORTHEAST ALONG THE LINE. CONSEQUENTLY..RAIN WILL
LIKELY PERSIST IN THE WATCH AREA THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON. ALREADY
4 INCHES OF RAIN HAD FALLEN IN MCPHERSON SINCE MIDNIGHT WITH ABOUT 2
INCHES OF THAT SINCE AROUND NOON AND STREET FLOODING WAS IN PROGRESS.

MOVE TO HIGH GROUND IF FLOODING OCCURS IN YOUR AREA.           SCHULTZP
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 3:10 PM CDT, 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
305 PM CDT SUN JUL 6 1986

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MCPHERSON AND DICKINSON COUNTIES OF CENTRAL
KANSAS FOR REST OF AFTERNOON...

AT 305 PM CDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN EXTENDED
FROM 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SALINA IN CENTRAL KANSAS TO 25 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF HUTCHINSON IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

STREET FLOODING WAS REPORTED IN MCPHERSON EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AND
WITH THE ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN BEING PRODUCED BY THE THUNDERSTORMS
SOME FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE.  PERSONS
IN MCPHERSON COUNTY SHOULD BE READY TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND SIF
FLOODING OCCURS IN YOUR AREA.

SMALL STREAMS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE DURING THE EVENING HOURS AND
PERSONS LIVING ALONG OR HAVING INTERESTS NEAR SMALL STREAMS SHOULD
TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS.

PHILLIPS

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kansas, 1986Every flash flood warning in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.