Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 138, NWS Topeka, KS

June 21, 1990Lyon County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 21, 1990, 4:11 PM CDT for Lyon County, Kansas. It was in force for 37 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 21, 1990, 4:11 PM CDT (21:11 UTC)
Expired
Jun 21, 1990, 4:48 PM CDT
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Lyon 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 12:00Z, 9.2 hours before the alert went out and 75 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 1990-06-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 574 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 1990-06-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -3 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
574 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-193 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1507 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
38 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTOP 212113
SVRTOP
KSC111-212200-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
411 PM CDT THU JUN 21 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  500 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
          ...LYON
 
AT 405 PM CST RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR EMPORIA MOVING
EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED ON THE
SOUTHSIDE OF EMPORIA AROUND 4PM CDT.
 
LARGE HAIL AND STRONG WIND GUSTS ARE LIKELY WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY
MOVE ACROSS LYON COUNTY TO THE MELVERN RESERVOIR AREA OF WESTERN OSAGE
COUNTY.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

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, Jun 21, 2:34 PM CDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before
KSZ013>016-202030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
234 PM CDT WED JUN 20 1990

THUNDERSTORMS POPPED UP SOUTH OF A LINE BETWEEN EMPORIA AND 50 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF EMPORIA AT IOLA BETWEEN 2 AND 230 THIS AFTERNOON.
AT 230...STRONGEST STORMS AND HEAVY RAIN WERE 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
EMPORIA OVER JOHN REDMOND RESERVOIR...AND 45 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
EMPORIA BETWEEN GARNETT AND IOLA.

PEOPLE AROUND JOHN REDMOND RESERVOIR...AND IN BURLINGTON AND THE
AREA SOUTH OF GARNETT SHOULD PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN
HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD ACROSS EAST CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST KANSAS LATER THIS AFTERNOON.  A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS HAD
ALREAD MOVED INTO MARYSVILLE.  SOME OF THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE
SEVERE WEATHER LATE IN THE DAY...OR THIS EVENING.

SCHURR
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 2:36 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-212030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
236 PM CDT THU JUN 21 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 512 IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN PORTIONS OF CENTRAL
AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 9 PM CDT...

AT 230 RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF MODERATE TO BRIEF HEAVY SHOWERS FROM JUST
SOUTHWEST OF SALINA TO 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SALINA OR JUST EAST OF
ELLSWORTH TO 25 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SALINA.  THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY WAS
LOCATED ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SALINA NEAR ROXBURY.  A VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 60 MILES WEST OF GREAT BEND NEAR NESS
CITY.  MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH.

URBAN
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 2:38 PM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
KSZ013>016-202030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED 1ST SENTENCE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
239 PM CDT WED JUN 20 1990

THUNDERSTORMS POPPED UP BETWEEN EMPORIA AND 50 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF EMPORIA AT IOLA BETWEEN 2 AND 230 THIS AFTERNOON.
AT 230...STRONGEST STORMS AND HEAVY RAIN WERE 20 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
EMPORIA OVER JOHN REDMOND RESERVOIR...AND 45 MILES SOUTHEAST OF
EMPORIA BETWEEN GARNETT AND IOLA.

PEOPLE AROUND JOHN REDMOND RESERVOIR...AND IN BURLINGTON AND THE
AREA SOUTH OF GARNETT SHOULD PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM FREQUENT
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN
HOUR.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD ACROSS EAST CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST KANSAS LATER THIS AFTERNOON.  A FEW LIGHT SHOWERS HAD
ALREAD MOVED INTO MARYSVILLE.  SOME OF THE STORMS MAY PRODUCE
SEVERE WEATHER LATE IN THE DAY...OR THIS EVENING.

SCHURR
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 3:14 PM CDT, 57 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-212100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
313 PM CDT THU JUN 21 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBERS 512 AND 514 IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND
NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 310 RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM 15 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF SALINA NEAR GYPSUM TO 35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SALINA NEAR
HERINGTON.  MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE
PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AN9D DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.  A VERY STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 50 MILES WEST OF GREAT BEND NEAR ALEXANDER
IN RUSH COUNTY.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH.

URBAN
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 3:32 PM CDT, 39 minutes before
KSZ013>016-202100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
330 PM CDT WED JUN 20 1990

...A TORNADO WATCH IS POSTED FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST AND
   EAST CENTRAL...AS WELL AS MOST OF THE REST OF KANSAS UNTIL 10PM...
...THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING ISSUED EARLIER FOR ANDERSON COUNTY
   EXPIRED...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING ISSUED FOR ANDERSON COUNTY AND GARNETT
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS EXPIRED AT 330 THIS AFTERNOON...AND IT WILL
NOT BE REISSUED.  THE STORM THAT DROPPED LARGE HAIL 30 MILES SOUTH
OF OTTAWA AT COLONY AND AROUND GARNETT HAD MOVED NORTHEAST TOWARD
PAOLA.

THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN QUITE STRONG AND WERE LIKELY PRODUCING HEAVY
DOWNPOURS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND SOME SMALL HAIL FROM WEST OF
EMPORIA EAST THROUGH BURLINGTON AND GARNETT TO 60 MILES EAST OF
EMPORIA NEAR PAOLA.  THE STORMS CONTINUED TO SPREAD EAST AND NORTH...
AND REFORM OVER THE AREA SOUTH OF A LINE FROM EMPORIA TO
PAOLA.

THUNDERSTORMS WdILL LIKELY FIRE OVER OTHER PARTS OF NORTHEAST AND
EAST CENTRAL KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON...AND A TORNADO WATCH IS POSTED
UNTIL 10 TONIGHT.

SCHURR
Special weather statement, Jun 21, 3:55 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-212200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
355 PM CDT THU JUN 21 1990

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBERS 512 AND 514 IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND
NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 350 PM RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS FROM
CONCORDIA TO NEAR SALINA MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH.
A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM CONTAINING VERY HEAVY RAIN LARGE HAIL AND
STRONG WINDS WAS LOCATED 40 MILES WEST OF GREAT BEND NEAR BURDETT IN
PAWNEE COUNTY.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH AND MAY
AFFECT EXTREME SOUTHERN BARTON COUNTY NEAR PAWNEE ROCK BY 430 PM.

KLEYLA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 21, 2:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPAnderson41 min
Jun 21, 4:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOsage33 min
Jun 21, 4:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCoffey43 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.