Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 14, NWS Topeka, KS

March 13, 1990Geary County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Mar 13, 1990, 6:57 PM CST for Geary County, Kansas. It was in force for 63 min. 1 report 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, 6:57 PM CST (00:57 UTC)
Expired
Mar 13, 1990, 8:00 PM CST
In force
63 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Geary 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, 7:25 PM CSTTornado F2Geary, 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

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 96 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 1990-03-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1053 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1990-03-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 246 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
1053 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
623 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
246 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
268 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.5
Supercell composite
6.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTOP 140058
TORTOP
KSC061-140200-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
657 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  800 PM CST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
          ...GEARY
 
AT 655PM THE TORNADO WAS LOCATED ABOUT 20 MILES SOUTH OF JUNCTION
CITY MOVING
TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
 
THIS IS A KILLER TORNADO. PEOPLE IN GEARY COUNTY SHOULD BE READY TO
MOVE QUICKLY TO SAFETY!
 
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING.  AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO
TO A STRONG BUILDING. DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A
TORNADO.  CARS ARE EASILY TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS. IF NO
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCHq OR LOW SPOT.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Mar 13, 1:31 PM CST, 5 hours 26 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, 4 hours 46 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, 3 hours 50 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, 2 hours 59 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
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 5:31 PM CST, 1 hour 26 minutes before
KSZ013-016-140030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
530 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN KANSAS TIL 10 PM...

AT 525PM CST THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER THE EASTERN BORDER OF THE STATE MOVING
NORTHEAST INTO MISSOURI AROUND 40 MPH.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CONTAINING A TORNADO WAS MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL
KANSAS JUST EAST OF HUTCHINSON NEAR HESSTON. THIS STORM WAS MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AROUND 45 MPH.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED OVER NORTHEAST NOR EASTCENTRAL KANSAS.

KAYS
Special weather statement, Mar 13, 5:42 PM CST, 1 hour 15 minutes before
KSZ013-016-140045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
540 PM CST TUE MAR 13 1990

...TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN KANSAS TIL 10 PM...

A LARGE DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO HAS BEEN ON THE GROUND IN CENTRAL KANSAS SINCE
450PM CST. THE PROJECTED PATH OF THIS STORM WOULD PLACE MORRIS
COUNTY UNDER DIRECT THREAT OF THIS STORM BY 630PM CST.

WITH SUNSET AROUND 630PM, SPOTTERS SHOULD BE TAKING THEIR PLACE IN
SOUTHWEST MORRIS COUNTY AT THIS TIME. THE STORM WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT
TO FOLLOW AFTER DARK AND SPOTTERS SHOULD BE IN PLACE BY THEN.

KAYS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 13, 6:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMitchell44 min
Mar 13, 6:11 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPMorris64 min
Mar 13, 6:17 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJewell43 min
Mar 13, 6:20 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMcPherson25 min
Mar 13, 6:25 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMitchell50 min
Mar 13, 6:42 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson48 min
Mar 13, 6:46 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPJewell14 min
Mar 13, 6:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPRepublic54 min
Mar 13, 6:54 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPCloud, Republic51 min
Mar 13, 7:03 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPJewell42 min
Mar 13, 7:05 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPMcPherson40 min
Mar 13, 7:13 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMitchell47 min
Mar 13, 7:14 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPEllsworth46 min
Mar 13, 7:17 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPMorris15 min
Mar 13, 7:18 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPSaline42 min
Mar 13, 7:22 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPLincoln53 min
Mar 13, 7:51 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOttawa54 min
Mar 13, 7:54 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson, Pottawatomie, Shawnee36 min
Mar 13, 7:56 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud49 min
Mar 13, 8:01 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPRepublic44 min
Mar 13, 8:03 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPCloud42 min
Mar 13, 8:30 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPRice45 min
Mar 13, 8:35 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson, Pottawatomie22 min
Mar 13, 9:01 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPSaline44 min
Mar 13, 9:09 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMcPherson51 min
Mar 13, 10:06 PM CSTTornado WarningTOPGeary, Riley39 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes 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.