Alert archive / Kansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1989

Flash Flood Warning 22, NWS Topeka, KS

September 8, 1989Douglas County, Jefferson County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this flash flood warning at Sep 8, 1989, 3:45 PM CDT for Douglas County, Jefferson County, Kansas. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 8, 1989, 3:45 PM CDT (20:45 UTC)
Expired
Sep 8, 1989, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Douglas County, KS, Jefferson 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, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 27 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 1989-09-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1298 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 1989-09-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 177 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
1298 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-161 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1060 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
177 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
147 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 082123 RRA
FFWTOP
KSC045-087-082345-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS       ...RESENDING...
345 PM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  645 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
          ...DOUGLAS
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
          ...SOUTHERN JEFFERSON
 
THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS HAVE CAUSED CONSIDERABLE STREET
FLOODING IN THE LAWRENCE VICINITY. ALSO REPORTS OF HEAVY RAINS IN THE
PERRY VICINITY HAS CAUSED SOME LOCAL FLOODING OVER ROADS.
 
THE HEAVIEST OF THE RAINS WILL BE MOVING EAST OF THE AREA BY 4 30 PM
BUT CREEKS AND STREAMS WILL REMAIN HIGH FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS.
 
 
MOST FLOODING DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS BRIDGES... DIPS... OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL
ONE...ON FOOT.
 
FRANTZ

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, Sep 8, 10:37 AM CDT, 5 hours 8 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-081645-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1035 AM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989

AT 1030 AM THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS CONTINUED WITHIN
AN AREA OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS IN A 20 MILE WIDE LINE FROM 40 MILES
NORTHEAST OF CONCORDIA NEAR WASHINGTON TO 35 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF
CONCORDIA OR 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF BELOIT.  THE RAINFALL THIS MORNING
HAS FALLEN ON MOSTLY SATURATED GROUND SO PERSONS LIVING IN FLOOD
PRONE AREAS STAY ALERT AND TAKE FAST ACTION IF FLOODING IS SIGHTED.

AS OF 1025 AM THIS MORNING GREENLEAF KANSAS...40 MILES EAST NORTHEAST
OF CONCORDIA HAD RECEIVED 2.10 SINCE RAINS BEGAN EARLIER THIS MORNING.
THERE ARE PROBABLY OTHER TWO INCH PLUS RAINS OVER THE AREA.

ADDITONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.  SO
SOME SERIOUS WATER PROBLEMS ARE LIKELY.

ADAMS
Special weather statement, Sep 8, 11:41 AM CDT, 4 hours 4 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-081745-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1137 AM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS FOR THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

AT 1135 AM RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOME WITH LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINS NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM 40 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SALINA
NEAR MARION TO 30 MILES SOUTH OF SALINA NEAR MCPHERSON TO 40 MILES
WEST OF CONCORDIA NEAR GLEN ELDER RESERVOIR TO NEAR PHILLIPSBURG.
MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON WILL PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINS.  THE GROUND IS SATURATED IN MUCH OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND
PARTS OF CENTRAL KANSAS.  ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAINS WILL CAUSE
A LOT OF RUNOFF AND FLOODING OF FLOOD PRONE AREAS.  PERSONS LIVING
NEAR FLOOD PRONE AREAS AND NEAR SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS KEEP ALERT
THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND TAKE FAST ACTION IF FLOODING IS SIGHTED.

ADAMS
Special weather statement, Sep 8, 12:37 PM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-081845-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1235 PM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON
AND TONIGHT.

AT 1235 PM SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SOME WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAINS WERE
IN NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL KANSAS EAST AND NORTHEAST OF A LINE FROM
NEAR HUTCHINSON TO SALINA TO CONCORDIA TO 20 MILES NORTH OF
PHILLIPSBURG.  MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS OVER SOME OF
THIS AREA DURING THE MORNING.  THE GROUND IS SATURATED.  ADDITIONAL
HEAVY RAINS ARE LIKELY AT TIMES DURING THE AFTERNOON.  PERSONS IN
THE WATCH AREA...ESPECIALLY THOSXE IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS AND LIVING
NEAR CREEKS AND STREAMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE NECESSARY
PRECAUTIONS.  MOTORISTS DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH WATER FLOWING
OVER ROADS.

ADAMS
Special weather statement, Sep 8, 1:03 PM CDT, 2 hours 42 minutes before
KSZ013-015-081900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
102 PM CDT FRI SEP 8 1989

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MUCH OF NORTHEAST KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON AND
   TONIGHT...

AT 1255 PM SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING ALONG A LINE FROM
JUST SOUTH OF KANSAS CITY TO JUST NORTH OF EMPORIA AND MOVING NORTHEAST
ACROSS NORTHEAST KANSAS. THESES SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE
GENERALLY LIGHT IN INTENSITY BUT SOME COULD PUT DOWN BRIEF HEAVY RAINS.
THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE MOST OF THIS
AFTERNOON AND WILL BE MOVING OVER PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST KANSAS THAT
RECIEVED RAINS THIS MORNING AND LAST NIGHT.

THE RAINS OF LAST NIGHT AND THIS MORING HAVE SATURATED THE GROUND AND
IN SOME CASES BROUGH STREAMS TO NEAR FLOOD STAGE...ANY ADDITIONAL
SIGNIFICANT RAINS COULD PRODUCE FLOODING. PERSONS IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS
SHOULD FLOODING BE REPORTED OR FORECAST.

CRANDALL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 8, 7:03 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPMarshall, Pottawatomie, Riley3 hr
Sep 8, 4:46 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPJewell29 min
Sep 8, 4:49 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPOsage, Shawnee3 hr
Sep 8, 4:58 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud, Republic47 min
Sep 8, 6:33 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPDouglas, Osage, Shawnee4 hr
Sep 8, 6:33 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPJefferson4 hr
Sep 8, 6:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWashington62 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kansas, 1989Every flash flood warning in 1989

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.