Alert archive / Kansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 12, NWS Topeka, KS

May 20, 1990Osage County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this flash flood warning at May 20, 1990, 11:00 PM CDT for Osage County, Kansas. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 20, 1990, 11:00 PM CDT (04:00 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 1990, 2:00 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Osage 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 00:00Z, 4.0 hours before the alert went out and 39 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 00:00Z on 1990-05-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 1990-05-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 33 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1191 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
33 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
99 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTOP 210401
FFWTOP
KSC139-210700-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1100 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  200 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
          ...OSAGE
 
THUNDERSTORMS CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE ABOUT TO AGAIN PASS OVER
OSAGE COUNTY. AT 1055 PM THESE STORMS EXTENDED FROM ABOUT ABOUT 20
MILES SOUTHWEST OF TOPEKA ACROSS OSAGE COUNTY TO ABOUT 15 MILES SOUTH
OF OTTAWA. THESE NEW STORMS WILL BE MOVING OVER ALREADY SATURATED
SOIL. RAINS OF 2 TO 3 INCHES SINCE 9PM MAY FALL IN THIS AREA...
THEREFORE PEOPLE IN OSAGE COUNTY CAN EXPECT RAPID RISES OF CREEKS,
SMALL STREAMS, AND UNDERPASSES.
 
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES... DIPS... OR LOW SPOTS IF WA.TER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM... EVEN A SMALL
ONE... ON FOOT.

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, May 20, 9:10 PM CDT, 1 hour 50 minutes before
KSZ013>016-2002300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
909 PM CDT SAT MAY 20 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL AND
SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH 3AM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS EAST OF A
LINE FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF OTTAWA TO CHANUTE...

... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALSO COVERS MUCH OF THIS AREA... THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH IS ROUGHLY EAST OF A LINE FROM ARKANSAS CITY TO EMPORIA... AND SOUTH
OF A LINE FROM EMPORIA TO OTTAWA TO THE MISSOURI BORDER...

AT 905 PM CDT THE HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST KANSAS WERE FROM 20
MILES SOUTH OF TOPEKA TO NEAR OTTAWA. THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTH-
NORTHEAST AROUND 20 MPH. SO FAR WINDS KOF UP TO 35 MPH AND PEA SIZED HAIL
HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS FROM OSAGE COUNTY... ABOUT 25 MILES
SOUTH OF TOPEKA.

MAY
Special weather statement, May 20, 9:37 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
KSZ013>016-210330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
936 PM CDT SAT MAY 20 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL AND
SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH 3AM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS EAST OF A
LINE FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF OTTAWA TO CHANUTE...

... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALSO COVERS MUCH OF THIS AREA... THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH IS ROUGHLY EAST OF A LINE FROM ARKANSAS CITY TO EMPORIA... AND SOUTH
OF A LINE FROM EMPORIA TO OTTAWA TO THE MISSOURI BORDER...

AT 932 PM THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM 5 MILES WEST OF OTTAWA
TO 50 SOUTH OF KANSAS CITY. ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER
ROSSVILLE... OR ABOUT 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS... HOWEVER BRIEFLY
GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL ARE LIKELY AS THEY MOVE NORTH INTO SHAWNEE
AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES BETWEEN 930 AND 1030 PM.

PEOPLE IN THESE AREAS SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR RAPILDY RISING
CREEKS AND SMALL STREAMS.

THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LONG LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
AVERAGING 20 MILES WIDE AND EXTENDING FROM NEAR MANHATTAN ACROSS OTTAWA
TO ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH OF KANSAS CITY.

MAY
Special weather statement, May 20, 9:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
KSZ013>016-210330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED DAY IN HEADER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
944 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL AND
SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH 3AM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS EAST OF A
LINE FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF OTTAWA TO CHANUTE...

... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALSO COVERS MUCH OF THIS AREA... THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH IS ROUGHLY EAST OF A LINE FROM ARKANSAS CITY TO EMPORIA... AND SOUTH
OF A LINE FROM EMPORIA TO OTTAWA TO THE MISSOURI BORDER...

AT 932 PM THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE FROM 5 MILES WEST OF OTTAWA
TO 50 SOUTH OF KANSAS CITY. ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER
ROSSVILLE... OR ABOUT 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS... HOWEVER BRIEFLY
GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL ARE LIKELY AS THEY MOVE NORTH INTO SHAWNEE
AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES BETWEEN 930 AND 1030 PM.

PEOPLE IN THESE AREAS SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR RAPILDY RISING
CREEKS AND SMALL STREAMS.

THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF A LONG LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
AVERAGING 20 MILES WIDE AND EXTENDING FROM NEAR MANHATTAN ACROSS OTTAWA
TO ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTH OF KANSAS CITY.

MAY
Special weather statement, May 20, 9:55 PM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-210350-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
954 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 1990

AT 953 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM AURORA NEBRASKA TO CONCORDIA TO 55 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SALINA NEAR
COUNCIL GROVE.   HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING HAVE
BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND SHOULD BE OUT OF NORTH
CENTRAL KANSAS BY MIDNIGHT.

URBAN
Special weather statement, May 20, 10:01 PM CDT, 59 minutes before
QSZ013>016-210330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
958 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 1990

VERY HEAVY RAIN AND PEA SIZED HAIL WAS OCCURRING IN OTTAWA AT 948 PM.
THE THUNDERSTORM OVER OTTAWA WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20
MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS PART OF A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM 25 MILES SOUTH OF TOPEKA TO OTTAWA TO 25
MILES SOUTHEAST OF OTTAWA.

MEANWHILE... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL
AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH 3AM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS EAST
OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF OTTAWA TO CHANUTE.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALSO COVERS MUCH OF THIS AREA... THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH IS ROUGHLY EAST OF A LINE FROM ARKANSAS CITY TO EMPORIA... AND SOUTH
OF A LINE FROM EMPORIA TO OTTAWA TO THE MISSOURI BORDER...

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS... HOWEVER BRIEFLY
GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL ARE LIKELY AS THEY MOVE NORTH INTO SHAWNEE
AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES BETWEEN 10 AND 11 PM.

PEOPLE IN THESE AREAS SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR RAPILDY RISING
CREEKS AND SMALL STREAMS.

MAY
Special weather statement, May 20, 10:03 PM CDT, 57 minutes before
KSZ013>016-210330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION TO GENERIC CODE HEADING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
958 PM CDT SUN MAY 20 1990

VERY HEAVY RAIN AND PEA SIZED HAIL WAS OCCURRING IN OTTAWA AT 948 PM.
THE THUNDERSTORM OVER OTTAWA WAS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20
MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS PART OF A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAIN FROM 25 MILES SOUTH OF TOPEKA TO OTTAWA TO 25
MILES SOUTHEAST OF OTTAWA.

MEANWHILE... A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH COVERS PORTIONS OF EAST-CENTRAL
AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH 3AM. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS EAST
OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF OTTAWA TO CHANUTE.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALSO COVERS MUCH OF THIS AREA... THE FLASH FLOOD
WATCH IS ROUGHLY EAST OF A LINE FROM ARKANSAS CITY TO EMPORIA... AND SOUTH
OF A LINE FROM EMPORIA TO OTTAWA TO THE MISSOURI BORDER...

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS... HOWEVER BRIEFLY
GUSTY WINDS AND SMALL HAIL ARE LIKELY AS THEY MOVE NORTH INTO SHAWNEE
AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES BETWEEN 10 AND 11 PM.

PEOPLE IN THESE AREAS SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR RAPILDY RISING
CREEKS AND SMALL STREAMS.

MAY

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 20, 10:10 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPFranklin3 hr
May 21, 12:38 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPFranklin, Osage3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kansas, 1990Every flash flood 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.