Alert archive / Kansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990
Flash Flood Warning 8, NWS Topeka, KS
NWS Topeka, KS issued this flash flood warning at May 15, 1990, 7:13 PM CDT for Douglas County, Franklin County, Kansas. It was in force for 4 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 15, 1990, 7:13 PM CDT (00:13 UTC)
- Expired
- May 15, 1990, 11:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 4 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Topeka, KS
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Douglas County, KS, Franklin 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, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 43 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1934 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -14 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 926 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 59 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 103 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 90 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 2.3
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KTOP 160015
FFWTOP
KSC045-059-087-160415-
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
713 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1115 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
...DOUGLAS...FRANKLIN
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
...JEFFERSON
AT 705 PM A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THAT WERE PRODUCING
TORRENTIAL RAIN EXTENDED FROM 20 MILES NORTHEAST OF TOPEKA TO NEAR
OSAGE CITY. THESE STORMS HAVE PRODUCED RAINFALL IN EXCESS OF 2
INCHES IN LESS THAN 2 HOURS. THIS RAINFALL...ON TOP OF RAIN EARLIER
TODAY WILL CAUSE A RAPID RISE IN SMALL STREAMS AND IN URBAN AND LOW
AREAS.
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 WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM... EVEN A SMALL
ONE... ON FOOT.
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS. IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY. DO NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING
WHEN WATER BEGINS TO RISE.
FORTUNEWhat 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 15, 4:55 PM CDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before
KSZ013>016-162300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 455 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 238 IS IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS UNTIL 10 PM CDT... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES OVER EASTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT... AT 450 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING NEAR SALINA. THE STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH TOWARD OR INTO THE MANHATTAN/ FT RILEY AND JUNCTION CITY AREA AROUND 6PM. NO OTHER STORMS WERE INDICATED ON WEATHER RADAR SHORTLY BEFORE 5PM...HOWEVER THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AND VOLATILE AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD FORM RAPIDLY JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE. STAY TUNED TO WEATHER RiADIO OR LOCAL RADIO AND TV FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. AKULOW
Special weather statement, May 15, 5:01 PM CDT, 2 hours 12 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-152300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS 458 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990 AT 458 PM RADAR INDICATED AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM BUILDING RAPIDLY SOME 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SALINA. IT COVERS A PART OF SOUTHWEST DICKINSON COUNTY...SOUTHEAST SALINE AND NORTHEAST MCPHERSON. THIS THUNDERSTORM IS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS...HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS IT MOVES EAST NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THIS STORM SHOULD MOVE TO JUST SOUTH OF ABILENE TO NEAR NAVARRE BY 520 PM. PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THIS INTENSE STORM BE ALERT AND TAKE PRECAUTIONS AS NECESSARY. TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 238 CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT FOR THAT PART OF KANtSAS ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM NEAR BELLEVILLE TO SALINA TO NEWTON. ADAMS
Special weather statement, May 15, 5:20 PM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
KSZ013>016-162300- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 520 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 238 IS IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS UNTIL 10 PM CDT... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES OVER EASTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT... AT 505 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING NEAR SALINA AND EAST OF MANHATTAN MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THE STORM NEAR SALINA WILL MOVE TO FT RILEY AND JUNCTION CITY AREA AROUND 6PM. THE STORM 6 MILES EAST OF MANHATTAN...NEAR WAMEGO WILL MOVE ACROSS POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY AND INTO JACKSON COUNTY BY 630 PM CDT. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL FORM THIS EVENING OVER NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL KANSAS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR LOCAL T.V. AND RADIO FOR ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS. FORTUNE
Special weather statement, May 15, 6:57 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
KSZ013>016-170100- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 657 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990 A TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES UNTIL 10PM FOR NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL KANSAS. AT 650PM A STRONG LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS ABOUT 25 MILES WIDE REACHED FROM NEAR ST JOSEPH MISSOURI TO TOPEKA TO ABOUT WICHITA. THE LINE WAS MOVING EAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH AND HAS PRODUCED PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS TO AROUND 45 MPH AND EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINS. THE RAINS HAVE PRODUCE FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS AND NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN AND BE ALERT TO FLOODED ROADWAYS. SEVERAL HIGHWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS IN JACKSON COUNTY ARE REPORTED TO BE UNDER WATER. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE AREA OVERNIGHT ALSO. PERSONS IN NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS...AND BE READY TO SEEK SHELTER. . AKULOW
Special weather statement, May 15, 7:02 PM CDT, 11 minutes before
KSZ013>016-160030- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 701 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990 ...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 238 IS IN EFFECT FOR EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST KANSAS UNTIL 10 PM CDT... ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES OVER EASTERN AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT... AT 655 PM CDT A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS MOVING THROUGH THE TOPEKA AREA. THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE LOCAL FLOODING IN THE TOPEKA AREA UNTIL ABOUT 8 PM. AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE EASTWARD INTO JEFFERSON...DOUGLAS... OSAGE AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES BETWEEN 7 PM AND 9 PM THIS EVENING... ADDITIONAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE...PARTICULARLY IN THOSE AREAS AFFECTED BY FLOODING EARLIER TODAY. FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS MAY NEED TO BE ISSUED. PERSONS EXPERIENCING HEAVY RAINFALL SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY RISING WATERS AND THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING. BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. MCNULTY
Special weather statement, May 15, 7:06 PM CDT, 7 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-160000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS 700 PM CDT TUE MAY 15 1990 TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 238 CONTINUES UNTIL 10 PM FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL KANSAS ALONG AND EAST OF A LINE FROM NEAR BELLEVILLE THROUGH SALINA TO NEAR NEWTON. RADAR AT 7 PM INDICATED A STRONG LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS SOME 25 MILES IN WIDTH FROM FAR NORTHEAST KANSAS ACROSS TOPEKA TO NEAR WICHITA. THE BACK EDGE OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE AS FAR NORTH AS THE NEWTON AREA. MOVEMENT WAS EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. WHILE THERE WERE NO THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTH CENTRAL OR CENTRAL KANSAS THUNDERSTORMS MAY YET DEVELOP IN SOME LOCATIONS THE NEXT HOUR OR TWO. SO PERSONS IN NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS. ADAMS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Topeka, KS issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 15, 7:13 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TOP | Jefferson | 62 min |
| May 15, 8:36 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TOP | Lyon, Osage | 3 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.