Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 42, NWS Topeka, KS

May 12, 1990Jackson County, Pottawatomie County, Shawnee County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 12, 1990, 2:35 AM CDT for Jackson County, Pottawatomie County, Shawnee County, Kansas. It was in force for 55 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 12, 1990, 2:35 AM CDT (07:35 UTC)
Expired
May 12, 1990, 3:30 AM CDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Jackson County, KS, Pottawatomie County, KS, Shawnee 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, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 42 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 1990-05-12Temperature 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 1990-05-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 255 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
567 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
255 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
474 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 KTOP 120736
SVRTOP
KSC177-197-085-149-120830-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
235 AM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  330 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
          ...SHAWNEE...WABAUNSEE
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
          ...JACKSON...POTTAWATOMIE
 
AT 230AM CDT THE POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTED GOLF BALL HAIL
AROUND ONE MILE NORTH OF WAMEGO OR AROUND 20 MILES EAST OF MANHATTAN.
THIS STORM WAS PART OF A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT WAS MOVING
EAST AROUND 35 MILES. THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL EFFECT THE CITIES OF
TOPEKA AND HOLTON BY 3AM CDT.
 
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME ORT BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY... SO
DON'T DRIVE ONTO WATER-COVERED ROADS.

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, May 11, 11:31 PM CDT, 3 hours 4 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-120630-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1130 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 1990

AT 1128 PM A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING WAS 30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HAYS NEAR MILLARD IN NORTHERN BARTON
COUNTY.  THE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL
MOVE INTO SOUTHEAST RUSSELL COUNTY NEAR DORRANCE BY MIDNIGHT CDT.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN A 40 TO 50 MILE WIDE AREA FROM
GRAND ISLAND NEBRASKA TO GREAT BEND KANSAS TO 60 MILES SOUTH OF GREAT
BEND AND WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

PHILLIPS
Special weather statement, May 11, 11:58 PM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
KSZALL-120600-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1157 PM CDT FRI MAY 11 1990

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 215 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR PART OF KANSAS.
THE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

...SOUTHWEST...
CLARK           FINNEY          FORD            GRAY
HASKELL         HODGEMAN        MEADE           SEWARD

THE FOLLOWING CITIES ARE NO LONGER INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO
WATCH...

DODGE CITY      GARDEN CITY     LIBERAL

THE TORNADO WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 4AM FOR THAT PART OF KANSAS
GENERALLY ENCLOSED BY A LINE FROM COLDWATER TO LARNED TO ST. JOHN
TO MEDICINE LODGE AND BACK TO COLDWATER.

SCHURR
Special weather statement, May 12, 12:34 AM CDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
KSZ007-008-010-011-120700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1232 AM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

AT 1230 AM RADAR SHOWED THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL KANSAS PRODUCING HEAVY
RAINS...GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND PERHAPS SOME HAIL.
THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE FROM NEAR SALINA TO 15 MILES NORTHWEST
OF HUTCHINSON...NEAR LYONS BACK NORTH TO THE ELLSWORTH AREA.
MOVEMENT WAS EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL KANSAS THE
NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS.  SOME OF THESE WILL CONTAIN BRIEF HEAVY RAINS...
STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND PERHAPS SOME HAIL.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO SPREAD ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH CENTRA6L
KANSAS THE NEXT TWO HOURS.

ADAMS
Special weather statement, May 12, 12:49 AM CDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before
KSZ013>016-120700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1250 AM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

AT 1245AM CDT STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED NEAR EMPORIA IN
SOUTHERN LYON COUNTY. OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE AROUND 30 MILES NORTHWEST
OF EMPORIA APPROACHING SOUTHEAST MORRIS COUNTY. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
EASTNORTHEAST AROUND 35 MPH.

STRONG STORMS WERE OVER CENTRAL KANSAS AS WELL. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE OVERSPREADING MUCHW OF NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL KANSAS BETWEEN
1AM AND 3AM CDT. SOME OF THE MORE INTENSE STORMS WILL PRODUCE DEADLY
LIGHTNING, VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL ALONG
WITH GUSTY WINDS TO AROUND 45 MPH.

KAYS
Special weather statement, May 12, 1:34 AM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
KSZ007-008-010-011-120800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
133 AM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

AT 132 AM WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE COVERING NORTH
CENTAL AND CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL WAS IN A 40 MILE
WIDE BAND FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF CONCORDIA TO 30 MILES EAST OF
SALINA.  MOVEMENT WAS EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND GUSTY WINDS
WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND CENTRAL KANSAS THE
NEXT TWO HOURS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS AND
THERE WERE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS MOVING EAST.

ADAMS
Special weather statement, May 12, 1:48 AM CDT, 47 minutes before
KSZ013>016-120800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
148 AM CDT SAT MAY 12 1990

AT 140AM CDT SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM NEAR MANHATTAN
TO NEAR OTTAWA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AROUND 35 MPH.
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING, GUSTY WINDS AROUND 45 MPH, BRIEF DOWNPOURS AND POSSIBLY
SOME HAIL WILL ACCOMPANY THE STRONG STORMS.

THE STORMS WERE PART OF A LARGER AREA OF SHOWERS AND VERY HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS
THAT WAS OVERSPREADING NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL KANSAS. THE LEADING
EDGE OF THE MAIN PRECIPITATION AREA WAS FROM JUST NORTHEAST OF CONCORDIA
TO NEAR OTTAWA.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY OVERSPREAD THE TOPEKA/LAWRENCE AREAS BETWEEN
2 AND 3AM CDT. OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE OVER
NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL AT LEAST SUNRISE.

KAYS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 12, 2:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWabaunsee55 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.