Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 41, NWS Wichita, KS

May 16, 1991Greenwood County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this tornado warning at May 16, 1991, 8:06 PM CDT for Greenwood County, Kansas. It was in force for 54 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
May 16, 1991, 8:06 PM CDT (01:06 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 1991, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
54 min
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Greenwood County, KS

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 16, 8:15 PM CDTHail 0.75Greenwood, KS
May 16, 8:30 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 58Greenwood, 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, 1.1 hours before the alert went out and 135 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 1991-05-17Temperature 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 1991-05-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 76 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
NaN m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
76 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
94 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KICT 170105
TORICT
KSC073-170200-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
806 PM CDT THU MAY 16 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  900 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS
 
   ...NORTHERN GREENWOOD COUNTY
 
AT 800 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 50 MILES EAST NORTHEAST
OF WICHITA, OR ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTH OF TETERVILLE. TRAINED SPOTTERS FROM
THAT LOCATION ALSO REPORTED A THUNDERSTORM WITH ROTATION.
 
THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.
 
IF YOU ARE IN TETERVILLE, BIRKETT, THRALL, AND SEELEY CORNER GET TO A
BASEMENT NOW, YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.
 
 
THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS STORM.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE IN THE
PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF AVAILABLE.
OTHERWISE... GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CHARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A
STURDIER BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

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

Special weather statement, May 16, 3:03 PM CDT, 5 hours 3 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-162100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
305 PM CDT THU MAY 16 1991

...A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CROSSING SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

AT 255 PM CDT...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS 20 MILES WIDE EXTENDED FROM
10 MILES WEST OF FT. SCOTT SOUTH TO 30 MILES EAST OF COFFEYVILLE.  THE
STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED OVER GIRARD...OR 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF
PITTSBURG.  THE PITTSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED 1/2 INCH HAIL AND
VERY HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.  THE LINE WAS MOVING
EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH...WHILE THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS LINE WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

OTHER INTENSE AND SEVERE WEATHER CONTINUED IN WETST CENTRAL AND NORTH
CENTRAL KANSAS...BUT DOES NOT POSE A THREAT TO SOUTH CENTRAL OR SOUTHEAST
KANSAS AT THIS TIME.  HOWEVER...PERSONS THROUGHOUT THE AREA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR COMMERCIAL STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 16, 3:05 PM CDT, 5 hours 1 minute before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-162100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
305 PM CDT THU MAY 16 1991

...A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CROSSING SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

AT 255 PM CDT...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS 20 MILES WIDE EXTENDED FROM
10 MILES WEST OF FT. SCOTT SOUTH TO 30 MILES EAST OF COFFEYVILLE.  THE
STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED OVER GIRARD...OR 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF
PITTSBURG.  THE PITTSBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED 1/2 INCH HAIL AND
VERY HEAVY RAIN ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.  THE LINE WAS MOVING
EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH...WHILE THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS LINE WERE MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

OTHER INTENSE AND SEVERE WEATHER CONTINUED IN WETST CENTRAL AND NORTH
CENTRAL KANSAS...BUT DOES NOT POSE A THREAT TO SOUTH CENTRAL OR SOUTHEAST
KANSAS AT THIS TIME.  HOWEVER...PERSONS THROUGHOUT THE AREA SHOULD REMAIN
ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER
RADIO OR COMMERCIAL STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

*TORNADO WATCHES #345 AND #346 COVER CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 9 PM CDT.

LEIVERS
*CORRECTED TO INCLUDE WATCHES
Special weather statement, May 16, 3:23 PM CDT, 4 hours 43 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-162130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
322 PM CDT THU MAY 16 1991

...SHOWERS DEVELOPING IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

AT 315 PM CDT...A FEW SHOWERS HAD DEVELOPED WEST AND SOUTH OF WICHITA.
AT THIS TIME...THESE STORMS WERE VERY WEAK...HOWEVER THE ATMOSPHERE OVER
SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS REMAINS VERY UNSTABLE AND THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT
IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN THE NEXT FEW HOURS.  PERSONS ACROSS SOUTH
CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD STAY ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS:
LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR COMMERCIAL STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

*TORNADO WATCHES #345 & #346 COVER CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 9 PM CDT.

LEIVE%RS
Special weather statement, May 16, 4:06 PM CDT, 4 hours before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-162200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
405 PM CDT THU MAY 16 1991

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS.

AT 400 PM CDT...A THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED IN NORTHEAST HARPER COUNTY...
25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WICHITA OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MILTON.  THERE HAVE
BEEN NO REPORTS ON THIS STORM...HOWEVER RESIDENTS IN THAT AREA ARE REMINDED
THAT A TORNADO WATCH...REPEAT WATCH...IS IN EFFECT.  PERSONS IN THAT AREA
SHOULD STAY ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND BE READY TO
TAKE COVER AT A MOMENTS NOTICE.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR
COMMERCIAL STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

*TORNADO WATCHES #345 & #346 COVER CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 9 PM CDT.

LEIVERS
Special weather statement, May 16, 6:36 PM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-170030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
638 PM CDT THU MAY 16 1991

...NO SEVERE WEATHER IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

AT 638 PM CDT...THERE WAS NO SEVERE WEATHER OCCURRING ANYWHERE IN SOUTHEAST
KANSAS.  AT THIS TIME THERE WAS NO PRECIPITATION IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS.
WICHITA WEATHER CONTINUES TO MONITOR THE RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS
ACROSS SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS.  STAY TUNED TO NOAA WlEATHER
RADIO OR COMMERCIAL STATIONS FOR THE LATEST UPDATES.

LEIVERS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 16, 7:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTGreenwood51 min
May 16, 7:28 PM CDTTornado WarningICTButler62 min
May 16, 7:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTChase53 min
May 16, 7:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTGreenwood66 min
May 16, 11:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTChase67 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

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.