Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 76, NWS Topeka, KS

July 12, 1987Shawnee County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 12, 1987, 3:40 AM CDT for Shawnee County, Kansas. It was in force for 50 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 12, 1987, 3:40 AM CDT (08:40 UTC)
Expired
Jul 12, 1987, 4:30 AM CDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Shawnee 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 00:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 11 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 1987-07-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2915 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 1987-07-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 35 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
2915 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1208 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
35 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
114 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 KTOP 120840
SVRTOP
KSC177-120930-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
340 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 430 AM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF
 
EAST CENTRAL KANSAS... SHAWNEE
 
AT 335 AM ONE INCH HAIL WAS REPORTED IN THE CITY OF TOPEKA. THE
THUNDERSTORM CAUSING THE HAIL WAS MOVING EAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH.
 
THIS %THUNDERSTORM WILL LIKELY DROP LARGE HAIL THAT MAY RESULT IN
DAMAGE TO ROOFS...VEHICLES AND CROPS.  STAY INDOORS WHILE THIS HAIL
STORM PASSES.
 
MAY

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, Jul 12, 1:29 AM CDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
125 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CLOUD OTTAWA SMITH JEWELL
MITCHELL REPUBLIC AND OSBORNE COUNTIES OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND
MOST OF CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 2 AM CDT AND CLAY AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
UNTIL 5 AM CDT...

AT 125 AM INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE 12 MILES EAST OF STOCKTON AND
5 MILES EAST OF PLAINVILLE IN NORTHWEST KANSAS.  THE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN SOME HAIL GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES
AND HOUR AND WILL MOVE INTO OSBORNE COUNTY OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS BY
145 AM CDT.

OTHER SCATTERED STRONG TO INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE WEST OF A LINE
FROM GREAT BEND TO 20 MILES NORTH OF PHILLIPBURG AND WERE ALSO MOVING
EAST NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.
<
OTHER SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN A 50 MILE WIDE AREA
FROM OMAHA NEBRASKA TO 30 MILES NORTH OF HEBRON NEBRASKA AND WERE
MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

PHILLIPS
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 1:53 AM CDT, 1 hour 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
140 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 369 IS IN EFFECT FOR A PART OF
NORTHEAST KANSAS UNTIL 5 O'CLOCK THIS MORNING. THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT
FOR THAT PART OF KANSAS NORTH AND EAST OF A LINE FROM WASHINGTON TO CLAY
CENTER TO ATCHISON.

AT 130 AM CDT THUNDERSTORMS STILL HAD NOT MOVED INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS.
RADAR DID SHOW... HOWEVER... THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND
NORTHWEST MISSOURI. THE NEBRASKA STORMS EXTENDED FROM EAST OF OMAHA TO
ABOUT 25 MILES EAST OF LINCOLN. THE MISSOURI STORMS WERE CENTERED OVER
MARYSVILLE... ABOUT 40 MILES NORTH OF ST. JOSEPH. THE THUNDERSTORMS
CONTINUED TO MOVE TO THE 4EAST AT ABOUT 30 MPH.

PEOPLE IN AND NEAR THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS AND LARGE HAIL
LATER THIS MORNING.

MAY
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 2:15 AM CDT, 1 hour 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
210 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987

AT 210 AM INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE 5 MILES WEST AND 5 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF OSBORNE IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING
VERY HEAVY RAIN SOME HAIL GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL
MOVE NEAR GLEN ELDER RECREATION AREA BY 245 AM CDT.  PERSONS AT THE
GLEN ELDER RECREATION AREA SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS.

ANOTHER INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS 7 MILES NORTH OF LARNED IN WEST
CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE THUNDERSTORM WAS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN GUSTY
WINDS SOME HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  THE THUNDERSTORMQ WAS MOVING
EAST NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN BARTON
COUNTY BY 225 AM CDT.

REMEMBER A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTH
CENTRAL AND CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 7 AM CDT.
PHILLIPS
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 2:41 AM CDT, 59 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
240 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 369 IS IN EFFECT FOR NEMAHA, BROWN,
DONIPHAN, POTTAWATOMIE, JACKSON, AND ATCHISON COUNTIES UNTIL 5AM. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 370 IS IN EFFECT FOR MARSHAL, RILEY, GEARY,
AND MORRIS COUNTIES UNTIL 7AM CDT.

AT 230 AM... WEATHER RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS
NORTH-CENTRAL KANSAS. THEY WERE OVER BELOIT MOVING TOWARD CONCORDIA. A
THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS ALSO SHOWN OVER ST. JOSEPH
MISSOURI.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVNING EAST AROUND 25 MPH. IF THEY CONTINUE AT THAT
SPEED... THE STORMS WILL BE MOVING TO THE VICINITY OF MANHATTEN AND
JUNCTION CITY BETWEEN 4 AND 5 O'CLOCK.

PEOPLE IN AND NEAR THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS AND LARGE HAIL
THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR CAMPERS.

MAyY
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 2:47 AM CDT, 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
245 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987

AT 245 AM INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE 5 MILES WEST OF CONCORDIA..3 MILES
EAST OF MANKATO..5 MILES AND 10 MILES SOUTH AND 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF
BELOIT.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN SOME HAIL
WIND GUSTS 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHE SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE WEST OF A LINE FROM HUTCHINSON
TO 5 MILES WEST OF BELLEVILLE TO KEARNEY NEBRASKA AND WERE ALSO MOVING
EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

REMEMBER..A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF
NORTH CENTRAL AND C|ENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 7AM CDT.

PHILLIPS
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 3:23 AM CDT, 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
325 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 1987

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 369 IS IN EFFECT FOR NEMAHA, BROWN,
DONIPHAN, POTTAWATOMIE, JACKSON, AND ATCHISON COUNTIES UNTIL 5AM. SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 370 IS IN EFFECT FOR MARSHAL, RILEY, GEARY,
AND MORRIS COUNTIES UNTIL 7AM CDT.

WEATHER RADAR AT 315 SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS OVER TOPEKA EXTENDING
NORTHEAST TO ST. JOSEPH MISSOURI. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.
NO REPORTS OF HIGH WINDS OR LARGE HAIL HAVE BEEN RECEIVED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ASSOCIATION WITH THESE STORMS.

RADAR SHOWED ANOTHER AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH-CENTRAL KANSAS.
THESE STORMS EXTENDED FROM CONCORDIA SOUTH TO ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF SALINA. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. WIND GUSTS
IN THE RANGE OF 30 TO 40 MPH HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS.

PEOPLE IN MANHATTEN, JUNCTION CITY, AND CAMPERS AT TUTTLE CREEK LAKE AND
MILFORD LAKE CAN EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS TO ARRIVE IN YOUR AREA BETWEEN 430
AND 530 THIS MORNING.

OTHER PEOPLE IN AND NEAR THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING THUNDERSTORM WINDS AND
LARGE HAIL THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.

MAY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 12, 3:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud, Ottawa59 min
Jul 12, 3:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOttawa, Saline49 min
Jul 12, 4:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Dickinson, Washington65 min
Jul 12, 4:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPGeary, Morris, Riley62 min
Jul 12, 4:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPPottawatomie62 min
Jul 12, 5:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson, Shawnee64 min
Jul 12, 5:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWabaunsee64 min
Jul 12, 6:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDouglas, Jefferson46 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1987

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.