Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Topeka, KS

June 22, 1987Lyon County, Morris County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Jun 22, 1987, 3:57 PM CDT for Lyon County, Morris County, Kansas. It was in force for 43 min. 1 report 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
Jun 22, 1987, 3:57 PM CDT (20:57 UTC)
Expired
Jun 22, 1987, 4:40 PM CDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Lyon County, KS, Morris 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
Jun 22, 4:10 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 0Morris, 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 12:00Z, 9.0 hours before the alert went out and 81 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 1987-06-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 939 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 1987-06-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 15 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
939 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-94 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1082 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
21 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
27 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTOP 222058
TORTOP
KSC111-127-222140-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
357 PM CDT MON JUN 22 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 440 PM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF
 
EAST CENTRAL KANSAS... NORTHERN LYON... EASTERN MORRIS
 
AT 355 A TORNADO WAS REPORTED ON THE GROUND 4 MILES EAST OF COUNCIL
GROVE RESERVOIR MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST.
 
THIS TORNADO WAS ON THBE GROUND AND CAUSING DAMAGE.  ALL PEOPLE NEAR
THIS DANGEROUS STORM SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.
 
FRANTZ

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Jun 22, 2:38 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
215 PM CDT MON JUN 22 1987

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 250 PM CDT FOR WABAUNSEE
COUNTY...

TORNADO WATCH #244 IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF EAST AND CENTRAL KANSAS
UNTIL 8 PM CDT...

AT 230PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS FROM
SOUTHWEST MARION COUNTY EXTENDING NORTH NORTHEAST TO NEAR ALMA IN
WABAUNSEE COUNTY.  AT 225PM CDT GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED 2 MILES
SOUTH OF ALTA VISTA IN WABAUNSEE COUNTY.  THE STORMS ARE MOVING EAST
NORTHEAST SLOWLY AND SLOWLY INTENSIFYING.

THESE ARE DANGEROUS STORMS WITH POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAINS, DAMAGING WINDS,
FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LARGE HAIL.

HALL
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 2:56 PM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
300 PM CDT MON JUN 22 1987

TORNADO WATCH #244 IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF EAST AND CENTRAL KANSAS
UNTIL 8 PM CDT...

AT 255PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS FROM SOUTH-
WEST OF HILLSBORO IN MARION COUNTY EXTENDING EAST NORTHEAST TO EASTERN
WABAUNSEE COUNTY.  SOME DECREASE IN INTENSITY HAS BEEN INDICATED BY RADAR.
THE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTH AT ABOUT 5 MILES AN HOUR.  HEAVY RAINS HAVE
STATIONARY OVER EASTERN MORRIS COUNTY FOR THE PAST HOUR WITH SOME PROBAB-
ILITY OF STREET AND LOWLAND FLOODING.
THESE ARE DANGEROUS STORMS WITH POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAINS, DAMAGING WINDS,
FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LARGE HAIL.

HALL

"0"
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 3:27 PM CDT, 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
325 PM CDT MON JUN 22 1987

TORNADO WATCH #244 IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF EAST AND CENTRAL KANSAS
UNTIL 8 PM CDT...

AT 315PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS CON-
TINUING FROM NEAR NEWTON EXTENDING NORTHEASTWARD TO SOUTHWEST OF ROSS-
VILLE.  THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY IS IN THE JUNCTION CITY-FT. RILEY AND
COUNCIL GROVE AREAS.  MOVEMENT IS SLOWLY NORTHWARDS.  HEAVY RAINS CONTINUE
OVER EASTERN MORRIS COUNTY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR STREET AND LOWLAND
FLOODING IN THIS AREA.

THESE ARE DANGEROUS STORMS WITH POTENTIALLY HEAVY RAINS, DAMAGING WINDS,
FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LARGE HAIL.

HALL
Local storm report, Jun 22, 3:35 PM CDT, 22 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
3:33 PM CDT MON JUN 22 1987

STORM REPORTS FROM MCPHERSON AND DICKINSON COUNTY
MONDAY JUNE 22 1987...ALL TIMES CDT.

1:30 PM  3/4 INCH HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS 2 MILES SOUTH OF MCPHERSON
         MCPHERSON COUNTY.
1:50 PM  65 MPH WINDS AND 1/4 INCH HAIL AT CANTON...MCPHERSON COUNTY.
2:18 PM  SEVERAL LARGE TREES UP-ROOTED BY STRAIGHT LINE WINDS 9 MILES
         SOUTH OF CANTON..MCPHERSON COUNTY.
2:33 PM  40 TO 50 MPH WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN AT ELMO..DICKINSON CO.
2:48 PM  50 TO 60 MPH WINDS AT HERINGTON..DICKINSON COUNTY.
SCHNEIDER
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 3:39 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
335 PM CDT MON JUN 22 1987

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN KANSAS
UNTIL 8 PM CDT...

AT 330 PM CDT...RADAR SHOWERED AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS 15 MILES
SOUTH OF WASHINGTON AND FROM NEAR WAKEFIELD TO 5 MILES NORTH OF
ABILENE.  A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED 5 MILES
OF HERRINGTON IN SOUTHEAST DICKINSON COUNTY AND 10 MILES NORTHWEST
OF ABILENE.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.  PERSONS
IN THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAIN STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE HAIL.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS WERE EAST OF A LINE FR,OM JUST WEST OF
HUTCHINSON TO GREAT BEND TO MINNEAPOLIS TO 10 MILES WEST OF WASHINGTON.
PETERSEN
Special weather statement, Jun 22, 3:48 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...2ND PARAGRAPH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
335 PM CDT MON JUN 22 1987

...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN KANSAS
UNTIL 8 PM CDT...

AT 330 PM CDT...RADAR SHOWERED AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS 15 MILES
SOUTH OF WASHINGTON AND FROM NEAR WAKEFIELD TO 5 MILES NORTH OF
ABILENE.  A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED 5 MILES WEST
OF HERRINGTON IN SOUTHEAST DICKINSON COUNTY AND 10 MILES NORTHWEST
OF ABILENE.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.  PERSONS
IN THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS CAN EXPECT HEAVY RAIN STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE HAIL.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWE5RS WERE EAST OF A LINE FROM JUST WEST OF
HUTCHINSON TO GREAT BEND TO MINNEAPOLIS TO 10 MILES WEST OF WASHINGTON.
PETERSEN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 22, 1:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMcPherson45 min
Jun 22, 1:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWabaunsee56 min
Jun 22, 2:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson, McPherson50 min
Jun 22, 3:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall28 min
Jun 22, 4:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall27 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 1987Every tornado warning in 1987Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.