Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 45, NWS Wichita, KS

May 26, 1991Butler County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this tornado warning at May 26, 1991, 7:51 PM CDT for Butler County, Kansas. It was in force for 69 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
May 26, 1991, 7:51 PM CDT (00:51 UTC)
Expired
May 26, 1991, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
69 min
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Butler County, KS

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 26, 8:05 PM CDTTornado F0Butler, 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, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 171 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 1991-05-27Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1006 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 00:00Z on 1991-05-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 144 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
1006 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-130 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1357 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
144 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
220 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
3.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KICT 270051
TORICT
KSC015-270200-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
751 PM CDT SUN MAY 26 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  900 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS
 
   ...NORTHERN BUTLER COUNTY
 
AT 748 PM CDT...RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN
NORTHERN BUTLER COUNTY...NEAR EL DORADO. THE STORM IS MOVING TO THE EAST
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. PERSONS IN EL DORADO...AND EL DORADO LAKE ARE IN
THE PATH OF THIS STORM. TAKE COVER NOW!
 
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 CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR A
STURDIER BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
 
HEDGES

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 26, 2:26 PM CDT, 5 hours 25 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-262100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
225 PM CDT SUN MAY 26 1991

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS...

AT 220 PM CDT...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 20
MILES EAST OF TOPEKA...TO 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHANUTE.  THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHANUTE.  THIS STORM IS
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT DEADLY
LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL.  THIS STORM IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH
...AND WILL PASS JUST SOUTH OF CHANUTE NEAR EARLETON WITHIN THE NEXT 30
MINUTES.

CAMPERS AND BOATERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THESE DANGEROUS STORMS AND BE
PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.  STAY
TUNED TO LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATIONS...AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.
HEDGES
Special weather statement, May 26, 2:28 PM CDT, 5 hours 23 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-262100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
225 PM CDT SUN MAY 26 1991

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS...

AT 220 PM CDT...A LINE OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 20
MILES EAST OF TOPEKA...TO 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHANUTE.  THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CHANUTE.  THIS STORM IS
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT DEADLY
LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL.  THIS STORM IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH
...AND WILL PASS JUST SOUTH OF CHANUTE NEAR EARLETON WITHIN THE NEXT 30
MINUTES.

CAMPERS AND BOATERS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THESE DANGEROUS STORMS AND BE
PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.  STAY
TUNED TO LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION STATIONS...AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO
FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 393 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CDT
FOR A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS.

HEDGES
Special weather statement, May 26, 3:36 PM CDT, 4 hours 15 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-262230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
335 PM CDT SUN MAY 26 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CANCELLED FOR SOUTHEAST KANSAS...

AT 325 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS HAD
DECREASED RAPIDLY.  ONLY A WEAK THUNDERSTORM REMAINED...20 MILES
WEST OF PITTSBURG.

THE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH.

THE AIRMASS OVER SOUTHERN KANSAS REMAINS VERY UNSTABLE AND REDEVELOPMENT
OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS LIKELY LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
PLEASE STAY TUNED TO LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION...AND NOAA WEATHER
RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE WEATHER SITUATION.

HEDGES
Special weather statement, May 26, 4:05 PM CDT, 3 hours 46 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-262200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
400 PM CDT SUN MAY 26 1991

...TORNADO WATCH FOR SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 11 PM...

VERY UNSTABLE CONDITIONS EXIST OVER SOUTHERN KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON.
ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP AROUND WICHITA..AND
SHOULD BECOME MUCH MORE NUMEROUS OVER THE NEXT 1-2 HOURS.

PERSONS INVOLVED IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO
THE WEATHER SITUATION...AS SEVERE WEATHER COULD DEVELOP RAPIDLY.

STAY TUNED TO LOCAL TELEVISION AND RADIO STAIONS...AND NOAA WEATHER
RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT.

HEDGES

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 26, 7:18 PM CDTTornado WarningICTButler42 min
May 26, 7:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSedgwick, Sumner63 min
May 26, 7:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTKingman, Reno64 min
May 26, 7:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTButler, Marion7 min
May 26, 7:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTChase65 min
May 26, 8:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSedgwick55 min
May 26, 8:26 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTReno64 min
May 26, 8:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTMarion57 min
May 26, 8:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTChase63 min
May 26, 9:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTGreenwood59 min
May 26, 9:50 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningICTButler, Chase55 min
May 26, 10:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTReno42 min
May 26, 10:37 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningICTGreenwood3 hr
May 27, 2:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTMarion55 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.