Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1992

Tornado Warning 30, NWS Topeka, KS

July 12, 1992Brown County, Nemaha County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Jul 12, 1992, 9:36 PM CDT for Brown County, Nemaha County, Kansas. It was in force for 39 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 12, 1992, 9:36 PM CDT (02:36 UTC)
Expired
Jul 12, 1992, 10:15 PM CDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Brown County, KS, Nemaha County, KS

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 90 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 1992-07-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3062 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 1992-07-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 104 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
3062 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1266 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
104 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
202 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 130237
TORTOP
KSC013-131-130315-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
936 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
 
   ...NORTHERN BROWN COUNTY...EASTERN NEMAHA COUNTY
 
AT 935 PM RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
SABETHA MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
 
THE TOWNS OF ONEIDA...SABETHA...BERWICK...MORRILL ARE IN THE PATH
OF THIS TORNADO AND SHOULD BE SEEK SHELTER 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.

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, Jul 12, 6:34 PM CDT, 3 hours 2 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-130030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
633 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 1992

...THUNDERSTORMS WERE CONTINUING TO INTENSIFY ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTH
CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 632 PM...RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING SOUTHWEST
FROM 25 MILES NORTHEAST OF CONCORDIA JUST NORTHWEST OF WASHINGTON TO GREAT
BEND. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED OVER THE CITY OF CONCORDIA...35 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF" CONCORDIA NEAR LINCOLN AND 20 MILES NORTHEAST OF GREAT BEND.
THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...GUSTY
W8NDS AND TORRENTIAL RAINS AS THEY MOVE TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

PACKETT
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 6:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 53 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-130035-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
642 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH
   OF THE KANSAS RIVER UNTIL 11 PM CDT...

AT 635 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE CONTINUING ALONG THE
KANSAS NEBRASKA BORDER IN NORTHEAST KANSAS. THE THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDED FROM MARYSVILLE AND BLUE RAPIDS EAST TO 70 MILES NORTH OF
TOPEKA OR NORTHEAST OF HIAWATHA. VERY HEAVY RAIN...SOME SMALL HAIL
AND GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY
MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST ALONG THE NEBRASKA BORDER AT 30 MPH.

ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS LOCATED 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF MANHATTAN OR
JUST WEST OF TUTTLE CREEK LAKE. HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH
WERE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM AS IT MOVES NORTHEAST ACROSS TUTTLE
CREEK LAKE. PEOPLE AT TUTTLE CREEK SHOULD TAKE SHELTER UNTIL THIS STORM
PASSES. LIGHTNING KILLS MORE PEOPLE...ON AVERAGE EACH YEAR...dTHAN DO
TORNADOES.

THE AIR REMAINS QUITE UNSTABLE OVER NORTHEAST KANSAS SO ANY THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT DOES HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE SEVERE.  BE PREPARED TO SEEK
SHELTER IF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

BILLS
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 7:32 PM CDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-130130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
730 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF
THE KANSAS RIVER UNTIL 11 PM CDT...

AT 615 PM THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARYSVILLE
TO 60 MILES NORTH OF TOPEKA NEAR HIAWATHA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS ABOUT
25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARYSVILLE. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
VERY HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS WERE
MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 30 MPH.

ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS REACHED FROM 25 MILES NORTH OF
SALINA TO 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF CONCORDIA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS ABOUT
10 MILES NORTHEAST OF CONCORDIA AND WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND TAKE SHELTER IF THE NEED ARISES.  LIGHTNING KILLS MORE
PEOPLE...ON AVERAGE EACH YEAR...THAN TORNADOES.
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 7:37 PM CDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-130130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED RADAR TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
730 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF
THE KANSAS RIVER UNTIL 11 PM CDT...

AT 715 PM THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARYSVILLE
TO 60 MILES NORTH OF TOPEKA NEAR HIAWATHA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS ABOUT
25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARYSVILLE. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
VERY HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL. THE STORMS WERE
MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 30 MPH.

ANOTHER AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS REACHED FROM 25 MILES NORTH OF
SALINA TO 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF CONCORDIA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS ABOUT
10 MILES NORTHEAST OF CONCORDIA AND WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

PEOPLE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THE WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND TAKE SHELTER IF THE NEED ARISES.  LIGHTNING KILLS MORE
PEOPLE...ON AVERAGE EACH YEAR...THAN TORNADOES.
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 8:37 PM CDT, 59 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-130230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
836 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 1992

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT MAINLY ALONG AND NORTH OF
THE KANSAS RIVER UNTIL 11 PM CDT...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR NORTHERN NEMAHA COUNTY HAS EXPIRED.
AT 830 PM RADAR INDICATED THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER NORTHERN NEMAHA
COUNTY HAD MOVED INTO NEBRASKA.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS REACH FROM NEAR SALINA TO MARYSVILLE AND
EAST ACROSS THE KANSAS AND NEBRASKA BORDER 60 MILES NORTH OF TOPEKA.
WINDS UP TO 60 MPH WERE REPORTED WITH STORMS IN MARSHALL COUNTY.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS KEEP ALERT AND TAKE COVER IF
SEVERE WEATHER APPROACHES.|..PREFERABLY IN A STRONG BUILDING...BUT
AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
Special weather statement, Jul 12, 9:24 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-130330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
923 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 1992

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #607 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11PM FOR ALL OF
CENTRAL AND NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS EXCEPT MCPHERSON COUNTY...

AT 920PM...RADAR SHOWED A 40 MILE WIDE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR
MARYSVILLE TO NEAR SALINA TO GREAT BEND TO NEAR GARDEN CITY. THE STRONGEST
STORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR BARNES TO JUST SOUTHEAST OF CLAY CENTER AND
FROM NEAR HOISINGTON TO JUST NORTH OF LARNED. ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS
NEAR ASH GROVE IN NORTHWEST LINCOLN COUNTY.

THESE WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

JF

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 12, 7:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud27 min
Jul 12, 7:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBarton56 min
Jul 12, 7:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOttawa, Saline59 min
Jul 12, 7:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay69 min
Jul 12, 7:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPNemaha38 min
Jul 12, 7:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWashington34 min
Jul 12, 8:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall55 min
Jul 12, 8:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBarton20 min
Jul 12, 8:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOttawa16 min
Jul 12, 8:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPBrown, Nemaha67 min
Jul 13, 5:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMcPherson41 min
Jul 13, 5:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJefferson48 min
Jul 13, 6:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMcPherson27 min
Jul 13, 6:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJefferson, Shawnee43 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 1992Every tornado warning in 1992Tornadoes in 1992

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.