Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 12, NWS Topeka, KS

March 13, 1990Smith County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Mar 13, 1990, 4:33 PM CST for Smith County, Kansas. It was in force for 42 min. 2 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, 4:33 PM CST (22:33 UTC)
Expired
Mar 13, 1990, 5:15 PM CST
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Smith 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, 4:48 PM CSTTornado F1Smith, KS
Mar 13, 5:10 PM CSTHail 1Smith, 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

N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 214 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, N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE at 12:00Z on 1990-03-13Temperature 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, N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE at 12:00Z on 1990-03-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 401 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1036 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
93 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
401 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
628 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KCNK 132233
SVRCNK
KSC183-132315-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
433 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 515 PM CST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTY

   IN THE NORTH CENTRAL PART OF KANSAS
      NORTHERN SMITH

AT 430 PM CST RADAR INDICATES A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES WEST
OF SMITH CENTER MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.  GOLFBALL HAIL HAS
BEEN REPORTED AT CEDAR 417 PM.  THE THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE ACROSS
NORTHERN SMITH COUNTY BY 5 PM.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA SO REMEMBER
THESE STORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE A TORNADO WITH LITTLE
OR NO ADVANCE WARNING...SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT.

PEOPLE IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD GET INTO A REINFORCED SHELTER AND
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM MAY PRODUC3E LARGE
HAIL GREATER THAN 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER...DESTRUCTIVE WINDS OF OVER
60 MPH AND HEAVY RAINS WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS.

KLEYLA

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, Mar 13, 12:24 PM CST, 4 hours 9 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-131945-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1224 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
UNTIL 4 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON.

AT 1220 PM THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
SMALL HAIL AND WINDS TO 50 MPH WERE IN A 10 MILE WIDE BAND FROM 30 MILES
EAST NORTHEAST OF CONCORDIA NEAR WASHINGTON TO 40 MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF
CONCORDIA NEAR RILEY.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH
AND SHOULD BE OUT OF WASHINGTON AND DICKINSON COUNTIES BY 100 PM.

KLEYLA
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 1:04 PM CST, 3 hours 29 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-132000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
103 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
UNTIL 4 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON.

AT 100 PM THE THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED OUT OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS INTO
SOUTHEAST NEBRASKA AND NORTHEAST KANSAS.  THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS
CENTERED FROM FAIRBURY TO MARYSVILLE TO NEAR JUNCTION CITY AND WAS MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

ALTHOUGH THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED OUT OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS THE
ATMOSPHERE STILL REMAINS CONDUCIVE FOR ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT
LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
KLEYLA
Local storm report, Mar 13, 1:31 PM CST, 3 hours 2 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
129 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

STORM REPORTS FOR TUESDAY MAR 13 1990...ALL TIMES CST

7:10 AM  LIGHTNING BLEW APART A LARGE TREE IN BURR OAK...PIECES FORM
         THE TREE BROKE WINDOWS AND DAMAGED A HOME.  JEWELL COUNTY.

11:00 AM  60 MPH WINDS REPORTED BY THE RICE COUNTY SHERIFF AT LYONS.
          RICE COUNTY

11:45 AM  A WOODEN SHED WAS BLOWN APART IN NORTH CENTRAL SALINE COUNTY.
          WINDS ESTIMATED NEAR 60 MPH.

12:12 PM  WINDS ESTIMATED TO 50 MPH DAMAGED A SHED NEAR HADDAM.
          WASHINGTON COUNTY.

NUMEROUS REPORTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS AND PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL ACROSS
CENTRAL AND NORTHCENTRAL KASNAS.              z                SCHNEIDER
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 2:11 PM CST, 2 hours 22 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-132130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
211 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
UNTIL 4 PM CST THIS AFTERNOON.

AT 205 PM RADAR WAS SHOWING ONLY A FEW THUNDERSHOWERS OVER NORTHEAST
KANSAS AT THIS TIME.  HOWEVER CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS AND POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER LATER
THIS AFTERNOON.

KLEYLA
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 3:07 PM CST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-132205-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
306 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
UNTIL 10 PM CST TONIGHT.

AT 305 PM RADAR SHOWED NEWLY DEVELOPED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HEAVY
RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING 30 MILES NORTHEAST AND 40 MILES NORTHEAST
OF CONCORDIA.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTE3D TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE
EVENING HOURS AND PERSONS IN NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT FOR SEVERE WEATHER.

PHILLIPS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 3:58 PM CST, 35 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-132330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
357 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
UNTIL 10 PM CST TONIGHT.

AT 355 PM THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING PEA SIZE HAIL HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING WERE LOCATED 50 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF CONCORDIA NEAR ALTON
IN OSBORNE COUNTY.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM SHOULD BE NEAR SMITH CENTER BY 5 PM.  IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES TAKE COVER.

KLEYLA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 12, 8:58 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPLincoln, Mitchell62 min
Mar 12, 9:00 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDouglas, Osage30 min
Mar 12, 9:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPShawnee33 min
Mar 12, 9:49 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJefferson41 min
Mar 12, 9:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPAtchison48 min
Mar 12, 10:09 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPShawnee36 min
Mar 12, 10:21 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDouglas, Jefferson29 min
Mar 12, 10:44 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOsage, Shawnee31 min
Mar 12, 11:00 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPShawnee45 min
Mar 12, 11:31 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJefferson59 min
Mar 12, 11:49 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPDouglas, Jefferson26 min
Mar 13, 12:02 AM CSTTornado WarningTOPJefferson28 min
Mar 13, 10:25 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPRice50 min
Mar 13, 4:41 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPRice22 min
Mar 13, 4:41 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPMcPherson49 min
Mar 13, 4:52 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPJewell, Smith38 min
Mar 13, 5:28 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPMcPherson47 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.