Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 166, NWS Topeka, KS

August 18, 1986Cloud County, Ottawa County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 18, 1986, 9:44 PM CDT for Cloud County, Ottawa County, Kansas. It was in force for 61 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 18, 1986, 9:44 PM CDT (02:44 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 1986, 10:45 PM CDT
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Cloud County, KS, Ottawa County, KS

The radar

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

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 18, 10:09 PM CDTHail 1.75Ottawa, KS
Aug 18, 10:09 PM CDTHail 0.75Ottawa, KS

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 2.7 hours before the alert went out and 177 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 00:00Z on 1986-08-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 267 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 00:00Z on 1986-08-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -27 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
267 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-315 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1362 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-27 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
80 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 190245
SVRCNK
KSC143-029-190345-

BULLETIN IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
944 PM CDT MON AUG 18 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1045 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF

NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS...SOUTHERN CLOUD..OTTAWA

AT 944 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 15 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF CONCORDIA KANSAS MOVING SOUTH AT 25 MPH.

AT 934 PM 3/4 INCH HAIL WAS REPORTED 1 MILE EAST OF GLASCO KANSAS.
<
PERSONS THREATENED BY THE STORM SHOULD GET TO A REINFORCED
SHELTER AND PREPARE FOR STRONG DAMAGING WIND..LARGE HAIL..
VERY HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING.

PHILLIPS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Aug 18, 6:42 PM CDT, 3 hours 2 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
630 PM CDT MON AUG 18 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH NUMBER 495 IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR
ALL OF CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

RADAR SHOWS SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EAST OF A LINE FROM
10 MILES SOUTH OF GENEVA NEBRASKA TO 10 MILES EAST OF WASHINGTON
KANSAS THEN SOUTH TO MARION. THE LARGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS 15 MILES
SOUTH OF GENENA NEBRASKA.
ALL OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT
20 MPH. HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED AS THE STORMS MOVE
ON TO THE SOUTHEAST.
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 6:49 PM CDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
645 PM CDT MON AUG 18 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A SMALL PART OF NORTHEAST
             KANSAS UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

THUNDERSTORMS HAD BEGUN REFORMING OVER NORTHEAST KANSAS EARLY THIS
THIS EVENING...AND AT 640PM CDT WERE IN THE MANHATTAN...JUNCTION CITY
AND FORT RILEY AREAS. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS JUST EAST OF TUTTLE
CREEK LAKE.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 TO 25 MPH AND WILL DROP
HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SOME SMALL HAIL.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR RILEY
...GEARY AND MORRIS COUNTIES AND AREAS TO THE WEST.

RESIDENTS OF NORTHEAST KANSAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPID THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT AND TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS.

AKULOW
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 7:29 PM CDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
728 PM CDT MON AUG 18 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH NUMBER 495 IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR
ALL OF CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

AT 725 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS FROM
35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF GRAND ISLAND NEBRASKA TO 10 MILES  NORTH OF
WASHINGTON IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL
MOVE OVER MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY AND WESTERN
MARCHALL COUNTIES BY 8 PM CDT.

VERY HEAVY RAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ALONG
WITH POSSIBLE HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
RESIDENDS OF WASHINGTON AN5D MARSHALL SHOULD BE ALERT AND TAKE
NECESSARY PRECAUTION.
PETERSEN
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 7:52 PM CDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
750 PM CDT MON AUG 18 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A SMALL PART OF NORTHEAST
             KANSAS UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

THUNDERSTORMS WERE INCREASING OVER NORTHEAST KANSAS AND A 743PM
REACHED IN A 25 MILE WIDE LINE FROM JUST NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA TO
MARYSVILLE TO NEAR FAIRBURY NEBRASKA. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS WERE NEAR
ONAGA AND IN SOUTHERN MARSHALL COUNTY.

VERY HEAVY RAINS...SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS TO POSSIBLY 50 MPH
WILL LIKELY ACCOMPANY THESE THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY MOVE SOUTHEAST AT
30 TO 35 MPH.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR RILEY
...GEARY AND MORRIS COUNTIES AND AREAS TO THE WEST.

BY 845 PM...THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD EXTEND FROM NEAR LAWRENCE TO TOPEKA
TO MARYSVILLE.

TEMPORARY FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS ARE LIKELY.

RESIDENTS OF NORTHEAST KANSAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPMENTK AND TAKE NECESSARY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.

AKULOW
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 8:52 PM CDT, 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
850 PM CDT MON AUG 18 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A SMALL PART OF NORTHEAST
             KANSAS UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

AT 840 PM CDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS..15 TO 25 MILES WIDE..EXTENDED
FROM POMONA RESERVOIR..TO WAMEGO..TO BELLEVILLE. THIS LINE OF STORMS
WAS MOVING SOUTH AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE MOST INTENSE THUNDERSTORM
IN THIS LINE WAS IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS BETWEEN CONCORDIA AND WASH-
INGTON. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR THIS NORTH
CENTRAL KANSAS STORM. ANOTHER INTENSE THUNDERSTORM..NOT SEVERE..WAS
LOCATED OVER NORTHERN RILEY COUNTY..BETWEEN CLAY CENTER AND BLUE
RAPIDS.

RADAR INDICATED THAT THE STORMS IN NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
WERE PRODUCING BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS. PER-
SONS IN NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD BE ALERT AS THESE
THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH.

MCNULTY
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 9:31 PM CDT, 13 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
930 PM CDT MON AUG 18 1986

...PARTS OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED....

A SMALL PART OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 495 OVER WESTERN
KANSAS HAS NOW BEEN CANCELLED. THE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR
THOSE COUNTIES WEST OF A LINE FROM SMITH CENTER TO HAYS TO COLDWATER.
HOWEVER THE WATCH WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR THOSE COUNTIES
EAST OF THIS LINE.

AKULOW

The office that day

Everything else NWS Topeka, KS issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 18, 8:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWashington60 min
Aug 18, 8:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPRepublic56 min
Aug 18, 8:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud62 min
Aug 18, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay63 min
Aug 18, 10:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson, Saline55 min
Aug 19, 1:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud55 min
Aug 19, 1:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOttawa70 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 1986Every severe thunderstorm 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.