Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Wichita, KS

March 13, 1990Sumner County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this tornado warning at Mar 13, 1990, 5:44 PM CST for Sumner County, Kansas. It was in force for 46 min. 3 reports 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
Mar 13, 1990, 5:44 PM CST (23:44 UTC)
Expired
Mar 13, 1990, 6:30 PM CST
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Sumner 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
Mar 13, 6:04 PM CSTTornado F0Sumner, KS
Mar 13, 6:05 PM CSTTornado F3Sumner, KS
Mar 13, 6:12 PM CSTTornado F0Sumner, 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

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 222 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 1990-03-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1480 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Dodge City, at 12:00Z on 1990-03-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 262 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
1480 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-20 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
829 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
262 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
238 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.8
Supercell composite
9.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KICT 132344
TORICT
KSC191-140030-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
544 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 630 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY

   IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL PART OF KANSAS
      SUMNER

AT 543 PM A TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND NEAR MEDFORD OKLAHOMA MOVING
INTO SOUTHERN SUMNER COUNTY. PEOPLE IN CALDWELL KANSAS SHOULD
TAKE COVER NOW. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

 TAKE COVER AT ONCE. DON/T WAIT UNTIL THE STORM IS UPON YOU...IT
MIGHT BE TOO LATE.

STEADHAM

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, Mar 13, 2:42 PM CST, 3 hours 2 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-132045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
241 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL KANSAS
UNTIL 400 PM...

AT 225 PM SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAD REDEVELOPED IN AN AREA OF
INSTABILITY IN WEST CENTRAL KANSAS. AT THIS TIME THE AREA HAD NOT
BEEN PRODUCING MORE THAN A FEW AREAS OF PRECIPITATION...ONE IN
NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA AND ANOTHER OVER NORTHWEST KANSAS. THEY WERE
MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHERWISE...AN AREA OF SCATTERED PRECIPITATION CONTINUED OVER PARTS
OF NORTHEAST KANSAS AS REMNANTS OF THIS MORNING'S SYSTEM. THAT BAND
WAS ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

LEIVERS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 3:43 PM CST, 2 hours 1 minute before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-132245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
345 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...THE TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL KANSAS HAS BEEN
EXTENDED TO 10 PM TONIGHT...

AT 330 PM SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF
PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED IN WEST CENTRAL KINGMAN COUNTY.
THE CELL WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 45 MPH AND IS EXPECTED TO PASS
THROUGH EASTERN RENO COUNTY BY 445 PM.

OTHERWISE...A LINE OF SCATTERED PRECIPITATION 30 MILES WIDE COVERED
LARGE PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL KANSAS ALONG A LINE CENTERED FROM THE
KANSAS-NEBRASKA BORDER NORTH OF TOPEKA TO 20 MILES EAST OF EMPORIA
TO THE KANSAS-OKLAHOMA BORDER 25 MILES EAST OF ARKANSAS CITY KANSAS.
THIS LINE WAS ALSO MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 40 MPH.

LEIVERS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 4:09 PM CST, 1 hour 35 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-132300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
409 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...THE TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL KANSAS HAS BEEN
EXTENDED TO 10 PM TONIGHT...

AT 355 PM THE KINGMAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT REPORTED VERY
HEAVY RAINS AND PEA SIZE HAIL...ALONG WITH 40 MPH WINDS...IN CENTRAL
KINGMAN COUNTY NEAR US HWY 54 WEST OF KINGMAN. THIS REPORT IS
ASSOCIATED WITH A LARGE CELL THAT INCLUDES IMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS.
THIS SYSTEM WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 40 MPH AND IS EXPECTED TO PASS
THROUGH CENTRAL RENO COUNTY BY 500 PM.

OTHERWISE...A BAND OF SCATTERED PRECIPITATION CONTINUED IN EAST
CENTRAL KANSAS FROM NORTH OF TOPEKA TO 15 MILES EAST OF EMPORIA TO
THE KANSAS-OKLAHOMA BORDER 25 MILES EAST OF ARKANSAS CITY KANSAS.
THIS LINE WAS ALSO MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 40 MPH.
LEIVERS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 4:41 PM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-140100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
440 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...THE TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL KANSAS HAS BEEN
EXTENDED TO 10 PM TONIGHT...

AT 440 PM REPORTS OF GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL ASSOCIATED WITH A CELL
CONTAINING EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS WAS OCCURRING IN NORTH CENTRAL
KINGMAN COUNTY WEST OF PRETTY PRAIRIE AND WAS MOVING NORTH INTO RENO
COUNTY. THIS SYSTEM SHOULD PASS THROUGH RENO COUNTY BY 530 PM.

OTHERWISE...A BAND OF WIDELY SCATTERED PRECIPITATION WAS CONTINUING
IN CENTRAL KANSAS ALONG A LINE FROM 25 MILES EAST OF EMPORIA TO
15 MILES 10 MILES WEST OF BARTLESVILLE OKLAHOMA. IT WAS MOVING TO
PTHE NORTH AT 40 MPH.

LEIVERS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 5:09 PM CST, 35 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-140100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
508 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN RENO COUNTY...HARVEY COUNTY WARNED...
...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL
10 PM TONIGHT...

RENO COUNTY OFFICIALS REPORTED A LARGE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN AT 434 PM
NEAR HAVEN KANSAS. IT WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH AND THE
ASSOCIATED SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO PASS THROUGH HARVEY COUNTY BY 600
PM. TORNADO WARNINGS ARE IN EFFECT FOR HARVEY COUNTY UNTIL 530 PM.

OTHERWISE...OTHER CELLS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE WEATHER WERE IN NORTH
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AND ARE MOVING INTO THE SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS REGION
AT 40 MPH.
LIGHT PRECIPITATION WAS ALSO OCCURRING IN EXTREME NORTHEAST KANSAS.

LEIVERS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 5:39 PM CST, 5 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-140130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
540 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...TORNADO IN HARVEY COUNTY...
...A TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL
10 PM TONIGHT...

A LARGE TORNADO THAT TOUCHED DOWN AT 430 PM WAS STILL ON THE GROUND
AT 530 PM IN HARVEY COUNTY. THE TORNADO WAS LOCATED ONE MILE SOUTH
AND TWO MILES WEST OF HESSTON AND MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
SEVERE DAMAGE WAS REPORTED IN BURTON AND HESSTON. HARVEY COUNTY
HARVEY COUNTY REMAINS UNDER WARNING UNTIL 545 PM.
OTHERWISE...OTHER CELLS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERE WEATHER WERE IN NORTH
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA AND ARE MOVING INTO THE SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS REGION
AT 40 MPH.

LEIVERS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 12, 7:24 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTCowley32 min
Mar 12, 8:19 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTGreenwood26 min
Mar 12, 9:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTGreenwood48 min
Mar 13, 10:17 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTKingman, Reno58 min
Mar 13, 11:13 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTHarvey62 min
Mar 13, 4:20 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTReno55 min
Mar 13, 4:37 PM CSTTornado WarningICTReno38 min
Mar 13, 4:52 PM CSTTornado WarningICTHarvey38 min
Mar 13, 5:27 PM CSTTornado WarningICTHarvey18 min
Mar 13, 5:43 PM CSTTornado WarningICTMarion62 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes 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.