Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1988
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Topeka, KS
NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Nov 15, 1988, 2:09 PM CST for Shawnee County, Kansas. It was in force for 36 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Nov 15, 1988, 2:09 PM CST (20:09 UTC)
- Expired
- Nov 15, 1988, 2:45 PM CST
- In force
- 36 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 12:00Z, 8.2 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1080 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -191 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 785 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 38 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 228 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 227 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.4
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KTOP 152010
TORTOP
KSC177-152045-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
209 PM CST TUE NOV 15 1988
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 245 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
...SHAWNEE
A TORNADO WAS REPORTED ON THE GROUND AT 29TH AND WANAMAKER BY TOPEKA
POLICE DEPT MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 TO 50 MPH
TAKE COVER...
THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS STORM. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE
PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF AVAILABLE.
OTHERWISE... GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A
STURDIER BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.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, Nov 15, 9:13 AM CST, 4 hours 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 914 AM CST TUE NOV 15 1988 ...NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN EXTREME NORTHWEST KANSAS BY AFTERNOON...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS A GOOD BET FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON... NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN NORTHWEST KANSAS BY AFTERNOON AS A VERY STRONG AND FAST MOVING WINTER STORM WILL BARREL OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE PLAINS TODAY. RAIN HAS DEVELOED OVER WESTERN KANSAS THIS MORNING...AND WILL CHANGE TO SNOW IN EXTREME NORTHWESTERN KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. VERY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MILES AN HOUR WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS LIKELY AT TIMES IN THE NORTHWEST DURING THE AFTERNOON. ALL INTERESTS IN NORTHWEST KANSAS SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AND BE PREPARED FOR THIS DANGEROUS BLAST OF WINTERY WEATHER. THE SNOW SHOULD END THIS EVENING WITH TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF TWO TO FOUR INCHES EXPECTED IN THE FAR NORTHWEST. THE STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING BEFORE TAPERING OFF AFTER MIDNIGHT. IN CONTRAST TO THE WINTERY WEATHER OF NORTHWEST KANSAS...SPRING LIKE THUNDERSTORMS WILL RUMBLE ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS DURING THE AFTERNOON WITH A GOOD CHANCE THAT SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE SEVERE. AT 9AM...COLDER AIR WAS SETTLING INTO NORTHWEST KANSAS WHERE WINDS HAD GONE NORTHERLY AT 30 MPH WITH GUST TO OVER 45 MPH. GOODLAND HAD RAIN WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 35. CRANDALL
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 11:18 AM CST, 2 hours 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 1115 AM CST TUE NOV 15 1988 AT 1110 AM CST INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHCENTRAL KANSAS. LESSER INTENSITY THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER LYON COUNTY NEAR EMPORIA. THE LEADING EDGE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LAY FROM NEAR ABILENE TO SOUTHWEST CHANSE COUNTY AND NORTHERN GREENWOOD COUNTY. THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY AS THEY RACED NORTHEAST OVER 50 MPH. CURRENT RATE OF MOVEMENT WOULD PLACE THE LEADING EDGE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR MANHATTAN TO EMPORIA BY NOON AND FROM NEAR SENECA TO TOPEKA TO BURLINGTON BETWEEN 1230 AND 130 PM CST. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5PM CST FOR MUC0H OF NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL KANSAS. KAYS
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 11:34 AM CST, 2 hours 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 1134 AM CST TUE NOV 15 1988 ...NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN EXTREME NORTHWEST KANSAS BY AFTERNOON...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS A GOOD BET FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON... NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN NORTHWEST KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AS A VERY STRONG AND FAST MOVING WINTER STORM BARRELS OUT OF THE ROCKIES AND INTO THE PLAINS TODAY. RAIN HAS CHANGED TO SNOW OVER NORTHWESTERN KANSAS THIS MORNING...AND WILL CHANGE TO SNOW IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. VERY STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MILES AN HOUR WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WITH NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS LIKELY AT TIMES IN THE NORTHWEST DURING THE AFTERNOON. ALL INTERESTS IN NORTHWEST KANSAS SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AND BE PREPARED FOR THIS DANGEROUS BLAST OF WINTERY WEATHER. THE SNOW SHOULD END THIS EVENING WITH TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF TWO TO FOUR INCHES EXPECTED IN THE EXTREME NORTHWEST. THE STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING BEFORE TAPERING OFF AFTER MIDNIGHT. IN CONTRAST TO THE WINTERY WEATHER OF NORTHWEST KANSAS...SPRING LIKE THUNDERSTORMS WILL RUMBLE ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON WITH A GOOD CHANCE THAT SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE SEVERE. AT 11 AM THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS LOCATED OVER EXTREME SOUTHWEST KANSAS AND THE COLD FROM EXTENDED FROM THE LOW SOUTH OF GARDEN CITY AND DODGE CITY TO NEAR CONCORDIA. A COMBINATION OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW HAD REDUCED VISISIBLITIES TO ONE HALF MILE AT GOODLAND WITH NORTHERLY WINDS OVER 35 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 50 MPH. THE TEMPERATURES WAS 29 DEGREpES. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS TIL 5 PM. CRANDALL
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 11:43 AM CST, 2 hours 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 1143 AM CST TUE NOV 15 1988 A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 5PM CDT FOR EASTERN AND MUCH OF CENTRAL KANSAS. AT 1140AM...THE LEADING EDGE OF VERY STRONG AND INCREASING THUNDER- STORMS REACHED FROM JUST SOUTH OF EMPORIA IN LYON COUNTY TO ABLIENE TO CLAY CENTER. THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT NEAR 50 MPH. CURRENT RATE OF MOVEMENT WOULD PLACE THE LEADING EDGE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR MANHATTAN TO OSAGE CITY BY 1230PM...AND FROM NEAR SENECA TO TOPEKA TO BURLINGTON BETWEEN 1230PM AND 130 PM CST. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS AND THREATENING SITUATION...WARNINGS FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST KANSAS WILL LIKELY BE ISSUED BETWEEN NOON AND 1PM. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TV FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION. + AKULOW
Special weather statement, Nov 15, 1:43 PM CST, 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 142 PM CST TUE NOV 15 1988 ...NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED IN EXTREME NORTHWEST KANSAS BY AFTERNOON...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS A GOOD BET FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON... NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE OCCURING IN NORTHWEST KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AS A VERY STRONG AND FAST MOVING WINTER STORM MOVES RAPIDLY ACROSS THE PLAINS. WIND GUSTS TO OVER 50 MPH HAVE COMBINED WITH SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW TO REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO NAR ONE QUARTER MILE IN THE GOODLAND AREA THIS AFTERNOON. RAINS AND SNOW ARE SCATTERED OVER MUCH OF WESTERN KANSAS WHILE THUNDERSTORMS HAMMER AT THE EAST. TORNADO WATCHES ARE UP FOR MUCH OF EASTERN KANSAS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS. ALL INTERESTS IN NORTHWEST KANSAS SHOULD TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AND BE PREPARED FOR THIS DANGEROUS BLAST OF WINTERY WEATHER. PERSONS IN EASTERN KANSAS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER. THE SNOW SHOULD END THIS EVENING WITH TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF TWO TO FOUR INCHES EXPECTED IN THE EXTREME NORTHWEST. THE STRONG AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING BEFORE TAPERING OFF AFTER MIDNIGHT. IN CONTRAST TO THE WINTERY WEATHER OF NORTHWEST KANSAS...SPRING LIKE THUNDERSTORMS WILL RUMBLE ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON WITH A GOOD CHANCE THAT SOME OF THE STORMS WILL BE SEVERE. AT 1 PM THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM EXTENDED FROM SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL KANSAS WHILE THE COLD FRONT CURVED FROM EXTREM NORTHWESTERN IOWA THROUGH THE LOW TO THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTHEAST AS THE LOW MOVE NORTHEAST. THE FRONT SHOULD BE OUT OF KANSAS BY EARLY TONIGHT. CRANDALL
The office that day
Everything else NWS Topeka, KS issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 15, 11:27 AM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Dickinson, McPherson | 48 min |
| Nov 15, 12:09 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Geary, Riley | 51 min |
| Nov 15, 12:24 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Marshall | 36 min |
| Nov 15, 12:57 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Jackson, Shawnee | 48 min |
| Nov 15, 1:06 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Coffey | 54 min |
| Nov 15, 1:10 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Coffey, Osage | 50 min |
| Nov 15, 1:38 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Jackson, Osage, Shawnee, Wabaunsee | 52 min |
| Nov 15, 1:38 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Nemaha | 52 min |
| Nov 15, 1:38 PM CST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Coffey, Lyon | 52 min |
| Nov 15, 2:41 PM CST | Tornado Warning | TOP | Atchison | 16 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 1988Every tornado warning in 1988Tornadoes in 1988
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.