Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1992

Tornado Warning 34, NWS Topeka, KS

September 7, 1992Jefferson County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Sep 7, 1992, 2:37 PM CDT for Jefferson County, Kansas. It was in force for 17 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
Sep 7, 1992, 2:37 PM CDT (19:37 UTC)
Expired
Sep 7, 1992, 2:54 PM CDT
In force
17 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Jefferson County, KS

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Sep 7, 2:40 PM CDTTornado F0Jefferson, 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 12:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 34 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 12:00Z on 1992-09-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1496 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 12:00Z on 1992-09-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 213 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
1496 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-126 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
718 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
213 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
264 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
5.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTOP 071937
TORTOP
KSC087-072000-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
237 PM CDT MON SEP 7 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  300 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
 
   ...SOUTHEASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY
 
AT 235 PM RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH OF
LAWRENCE. THE STORM IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR. PERSONS
IN THE WILLIAMSTOWN AREA SHOULD 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.

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, Sep 7, 9:18 AM CDT, 5 hours 19 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-071515-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
917 AM CDT MON SEP 7 1992

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO RUMBLE ACROSS NORTHEAST KANSAS...

AT 915 AM RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURING IN A 25 MILE WIDE
LINE THAT EXTENDED FROM ST. JOE MISSOURI TO TOPEKA KANSAS TO 25 MILES
SOUTH OF TOPEKA.  THIS LINE IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THE STORMS WILL BE EXITING THE TOPEKA AREA BY 10 AM.  THEY CAN BE
EXPECTED IN THE LAWRENCE AREA BY 10 AM AND SHOULD END THERE BY 1130 AM.
BRIEF HEAVY RAINS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THESE
STORMS UNTIL THEY EXIT NORTHEAST KANSAS BY NOON.

THE ATMOSPHERE REMAINS QUITE UNSTABLE ACROSS THE REGION AND WITH AN
APPROACHING COLD FRONT...NOW IN WESTERN KANSAS...THUNDERSTORMS ARE
LIKELY TO REDEVELOP ACROSS NORTHEAST KANSAS LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
PERSON PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES TODAY SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE
WEATHER AS CONDITIONS MAY CHANGE RAPIDLY.  STAY TUNED TO NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES ON THE STORMS.

KISNER
Special weather statement, Sep 7, 10:34 AM CDT, 4 hours 3 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-071630-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1033 AM CDT MON SEP 7 1992

...THUNDERSTORMS HAVE NEARLY EXITED ALL OF NORTHEAST KANSAS...

AT 1030 AM RADAR INDICATED THAT MOST OF THE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE EXITED
NORTHEAST KANSAS.  A FEW SHOWERS WERE STILL NOTED TO THE NORTH OF
LAWRENCE AND THESE TOO SHOULD LEAVE THE REGION BY 11 AM.

THE ATMOSPHERE STILL REMAINS QUITE UNSTABLE AND A COLD FRONT MOVING
TOWARD NORTHEAST KANSAS FROM THE WEST WILL HELP TO TRIGGER MORE
THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON.  PERSONS PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES ON
THIS LABOR DAY ARE ADVISED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY AND BE READY TO
CHANGE PLANS SHOULD STORMS MOVE INTO THE AREA.

KISNER
Special weather statement, Sep 7, 11:05 AM CDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-072300-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1105 AM CDT MON SEP 7 1992

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL KANSAS:
BARTON        RICE       MCPHERSON     RUSSELL
ELLSWORTH     SALINE     DICKINSON     LINCOLN

AND IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS:
SMITH     JEWELL     REPUBLIC     WASHINGTON
OSBORNE   MITCHELL   CLOUD        CLAY
OTTAWA

SYNOPSIS: A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE AREA TODAY.
THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY AHEAD OF THE FRONT BY MID AFTERNOON AND SOME
STORMS COULD BE SEVERE. THE STORMS WILL LIKELY BE CONFINED TO THE ABILENE
SALINA...LYONS AND MCPHERSON AREAS AND SPOTTER ACtTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

JF
Special weather statement, Sep 7, 11:49 AM CDT, 2 hours 48 minutes before
KSZ013>016-071750-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR NORTHEAST KANSAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1150 AM CDT MON SEP 7 1992

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST KANSAS:

ANDERSON     DOUGLAS      JEFFERSON     NEMAHA          SHAWNEE
ATCHISON     FRANKLIN     LYON          OSAGE           WABAUNSEE
BROWN        GEARY        MARSHALL      POTTAWATOMIE
COFFEY       JACKSON      MORRIS        RILEY

SYNOPSIS: A STRONG COLD FRONT WAS APPROACHING CENTRAL KANSAS AT
MID DAY. IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT...VERY WARM...MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR
WAS FLOWING NORTH INTO KANSAS.

THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO TRIGGER THUNDERSTORMS AS IT MOVES INTO
NORTHEAST KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD EASILY BE
SEVERE. THE MOST LIKELY AREA TO SEE STORMS FIRST WOULD BE IN THE
MANHATTAN AND EMPORIA AREAS...AND IT COULD BE AS EARLY AS AROUND 1 PM.
TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE...BUT THE GREATER THREAT IS LARGE HAIL
AND DAMAGING WIND.

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS A DISTINCT POSSIBILITY LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
PREPAREDNESS OFFICIALS SHOULD REVIEW PROCEDURES AND SAFETY RULES.
PEOPLE IN NORTHEAST KANSAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS...AND BE PREPARED TO MROVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY
IF THREATENING THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP NEARBY.

BILLS
Special weather statement, Sep 7, 2:19 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-072015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
219 PM CDT MON SEP 7 1992

...THE FIRST THUNDERSTORMS OF THE AFTERNOON HAVE FIRED...

AT 115 PM RADAR INDICATED A SMALL AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED
JUST TO THE NORTHEAST OF TOPEKA.  THE ACTIVITY WAS FROM 15 MILES NORTH
OF LAWRENCE TO 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TOPEKA.  THE STRONGEST STORM...
PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING WAS 10 MILES NORTH OF
LAWRENCE.  THIS ACTIVITY IS MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

THE ATMOSPHERE ACROSS EASTERN KANSAS REMAINS QUITE UNSTABLE AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL RAPIDLY BUILD OVER MOST OF THE REGION.  PERSON
PLANNING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEATHER AND BE
READY TO MOVE INDOORS SHOULD STORMS APPROACH.

KISNER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 7, 12:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOsborne40 min
Sep 7, 1:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOsborne51 min
Sep 7, 1:57 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOsborne, Russell35 min
Sep 7, 4:49 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJewell, Republic41 min
Sep 7, 6:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPFranklin41 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.