Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 38, NWS Wichita, KS

May 15, 1990Sedgwick County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 15, 1990, 6:04 PM CDT for Sedgwick County, Kansas. It was in force for 26 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 15, 1990, 6:04 PM CDT (23:04 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 1990, 6:30 PM CDT
In force
26 min
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Sedgwick 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

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 12:00Z, 11.1 hours before the alert went out and 215 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, Dodge City, at 12:00Z on 1990-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1082 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, Dodge City, at 12:00Z on 1990-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 334 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
1082 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-273 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1259 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
334 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
350 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KICT 152304
SVRICT
KSC173-152330-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
604 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL PART OF KANSAS
      NORTHERN SEDGWICK...THE CITY OF WICHITA

AT 600 PM AN OBSERVER REPORTED 3/4" HAIL ASSOCIATED WITH A LINE OF
THUNDERSTORMS PASSING OVER WICHITA. MOST REPORTS CONFIRMED UP TO
1/2"...BUT LARGER HAIL IS POSSIBLE. THOSE PERSONS IN NORTHERN
SEDGWICK COUNTY SHOULD PREPARE FOR BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.

 ILF YOU ARE IN AN AREA THREATENED BY THE STORM...GO TO A
REINFORCED SHELTER AND PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...
VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND LIGHTNING.

 MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

LEIVERS

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, May 15, 3:38 PM CDT, 2 hours 26 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-152145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
338 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 236 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CDT FOR MUCH
OF EASTERN KANSAS...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AT 330 PM CDT...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PERSISTED ACROSS
EXTREME SOUTHEAST AND EXTREME NORTHEAST KANSAS AND WERE MOVING TO
THE NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

WILSON
Special weather statement, May 15, 4:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-152245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
438 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBERS 238 AND 239 ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
FOR THE EASTERN THIRD OF KANSAS...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AT 225 PM CDT...THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT WERE IN SOUTHEAST
KANSAS HAVE MOVED EAST INTO MISSOURI. SINCE 330 PM CDT A N?EW AREA OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED IN NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. STAY ALERT
FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RANDALL
Special weather statement, May 15, 4:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-152245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
438 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBERS 238 AND 239 ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
FOR THE EASTERN THIRD OF KANSAS...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AT 325 PM CDT...THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT WERE IN SOUTHEAST
KANSAS HAVE MOVED EAST INTO MISSOURI. SINCE 330 PM CDTF A NEW AREA OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED IN NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. STAY ALERT
FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RANDALL
Special weather statement, May 15, 4:44 PM CDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-152245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
438 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBERS 238 AND 239 ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
FOR THE EASTERN THIRD OF KANSAS...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AT 425 PM CDT...THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT WERE IN SOUTHEAST
KANSAS HAVE MOVED EAST INTO MISSOURI. SINCE 330 PM CDTI A NEW AREA OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAS DEVELOPED IN NORTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. STAY ALERT
FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RANDALL
Special weather statement, May 15, 5:42 PM CDT, 22 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-152345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
540 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBERS 238 AND 239 ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
FOR THE EASTERN THIRD OF KANSAS...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AT 525 PM CDT...A 50 MILE WIDE AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED
NORTH-SOUTH THROUGH CENTRAL KANSAS INTO OKLAHOMA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE GENERALLY WEST OF A LINE FROM 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA TO
WICHITA ON SOUTHWARD TO OKLAHOMA CITY. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED
IN NORTHCENTRAL OKLAHOMA. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...LARGE HAIL
AND STRONG WINDS. THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
STAY ALERT FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

RANDALL
Special weather statement, May 15, 5:56 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
KSZ012-017-152330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
555 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBERS 238 AND 239 ARE IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
FOR THE EASTERN THIRD OF KANSAS...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN HALF OF KANSAS
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

AT 550 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND
STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MILES AN HOUR WERE MOVING INTO THE WICHITA
AREA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED MARBLE SIZE HAIL AS THEY MOVED BY
THE WICHITA MID-CONTINENT AIRPORT. THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF WICHITA AND PERSONS IN SEDGWICK COUNTY SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT AN9D BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.
ROSNER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 14, 7:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSumner59 min
May 14, 7:38 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningICTChautauqua4 hr
May 14, 8:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTChautauqua, Cowley, Sumner69 min
May 14, 8:28 PM CDTTornado WarningICTCowley, Sumner32 min
May 14, 9:05 PM CDTTornado WarningICTMontgomery25 min
May 14, 9:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTButler, Greenwood56 min
May 14, 9:34 PM CDTTornado WarningICTChautauqua, Montgomery26 min
May 14, 10:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTHarper59 min
May 14, 10:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTButler, Sedgwick68 min
May 15, 4:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTReno, Sedgwick68 min
May 15, 5:01 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTHarvey44 min
May 15, 5:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTButler46 min
May 15, 5:44 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTMarion31 min
May 15, 6:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTChase40 min
May 15, 6:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTChase, Marion67 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 1990Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1990

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.