Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Wichita, KS

May 15, 1990Chase County, Marion County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 15, 1990, 6:38 PM CDT for Chase County, Marion County, Kansas. It was in force for 67 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
May 15, 1990, 6:38 PM CDT (23:38 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 1990, 7:45 PM CDT
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Chase County, KS, Marion 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
May 15, 7:30 PM CDTHail 0.75Marion, 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, 11.6 hours before the alert went out and 128 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 1990-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 263 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 1990-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 249 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
263 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-127 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
606 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
249 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
389 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
8.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KICT 152338
SVRICT
KSC115-017-160045-

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE CENTRAL PART OF KANSAS
      SOUTHEAST MARION...

   IN THE EAST CENTRAL PART OF KANSAS
      WESTERN CHASE...

AT 634 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NEAR FLORENCE
OR 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF EMPORIA. THIS STORM HAD PRODUCED 3/4 INCH
HAIL AS IT MOVED INTO FLORENCE.

THE STORM WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. PEOPLE IN
FLORENCE...CEDARDALE AND CLEMENTS SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

 REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND DO OCCASIONALLY DO
PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. BE ON THE
LOOKOUT.

ROSNER

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, 4:40 PM CDT, 1 hour 58 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 56 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 54 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, 56 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, 42 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
Special weather statement, May 15, 6:19 PM CDT, 19 minutes before
KSZ012-017-152330-

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

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR NORTHERN SEDGWICK
COUNTY...
...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 610 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...LARGE HAIL AND
STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MILES AN HOUR CONTINUED TO MOVE TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WERE LOCATED 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE
CITY OF WICHITA. THE STORMS HAD PRODUCED GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL IN THE
NORTHERN PART OF THE CITY AT 605 PMm. OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE DEVELOPING
RAPIDLY SOUTH OF THE CITY OF WICHITA. PEOPLE IN THE CITY OF WICHITA AND
NORTHERN SEDGWICK SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER.
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, 6:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSedgwick26 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.