Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1993

Tornado Warning 11, NWS Wichita, KS

May 17, 1993Harper County, Kansas

NWS Wichita, KS issued this tornado warning at May 17, 1993, 7:15 PM CDT for Harper County, Kansas. It was in force for 60 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 17, 1993, 7:15 PM CDT (00:15 UTC)
Expired
May 17, 1993, 8:15 PM CDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Wichita, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Harper County, KS

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 00:00Z, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 173 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, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 1993-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 743 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, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 1993-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -7 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
743 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-66 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1043 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-7 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
120 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KICT 180016
TORICT
KSC077-180115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
715 PM CDT MON MAY 17 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  815 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS
 
   ...SOUTHERN HARPER COUNTY
 
AT 710 PM...RADAR CONTINUES TO INDICATE A POSSIBLE TORNADO 50 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF WICHITA OR 5 MILES WEST OF SPRING IN SOUTHERN HARPER
COUNTY. IT IS MOVING EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR. PEOPLE IN SPRING AND
BLUFF CITY SHOULD GO TO THEIR SHELTERS NOW.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  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 REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.
 
 
STEWART

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 17, 3:39 PM CDT, 3 hours 36 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-172145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
339 PM CDT MON MAY 17 1993

...TORNADO WATCH # 263 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
KANSAS...

THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: HARPER..KINGMAN..RENO..
HARVEY..SEDGWICK..SUMNER AND MARION.

AT 330 PM CDT...NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS OCCURING IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS.
HOWEVER...SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURING IN
NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE STRONGEST SHOWERS...CAPABLE OF BRIEF HEAVY
RAIN...WAS LOCATED 15 MILES NORTH OF RUSSELL TO 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF
RUSSELL.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE SHOWERS ARE PART OF A LARGER AREA OF LIGHT SHOWERS WHICH EXTENDED
IN A BAND 60 MILES WIDE...FROM NORTHWEST KANSAS THROUGH CONCORDIA AND
INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS.

IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS...SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS WERE DEVELOPING BETWEEN
CHANUTE AND COFFEYVILLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES
ON THE TORNADO WATCH OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

NOONAN
Special weather statement, May 17, 3:40 PM CDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-172145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
339 PM CDT MON MAY 17 1993

...TORNADO WATCH # 263 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
KANSAS...

THE WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES: HARPER..KINGMAN..RENO..
HARVEY..SEDGWICK..SUMNER AND MARION.

AT 330 PM CDT...NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS OCCURING IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS.
HOWEVER...SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURING IN
NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE STRONGEST SHOWERS...CAPABLE OF BRIEF HEAVY
RAIN...WAS LOCATED 15 MILES NORTH OF RUSSELL TO 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF
RUSSELL.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE SHOWERS ARE PART OF A LARGER AREA OF LIGHT SHOWERS WHICH EXTENDED
IN A BAND 60 MILES WIDE...FROM NORTHWEST KANSAS THROUGH CONCORDIA AND
INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS.

IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS...SCATTERED LIGHT SHOWERS WERE DEVELOPING BETWEEN
CHANUTE AND COFFEYVILLE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES
ON THE TORNADO WATCH OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

NOONAN
Special weather statement, May 17, 4:38 PM CDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-172245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
438 PM CDT MON MAY 17 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH # 263 CONTINUES FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
KANSAS...

AT 430 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS BEGINNING TO ENTER INTO SOUTH
CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE STORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES NORTH OF PRATT.  THIS
STORM WILL ENTER INTO WESTERN RENO COUNTY...30 MILES WEST OF HUTCHINSON
NEAR THE TOWNS OF SYLVIA AND TURON BY 500 PM.  IF TREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES MOVE TO A REINFORCED SHELTER UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

ELSEWHERE...SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
NORTH OF A LINE FROM RUSSELL TO MANHATTAN. IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS...
SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED AROUND COFFEYVILLE.  LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN CAN
BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

AREAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY HAVE INCREASED SINCE 330 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

NOONAN
Special weather statement, May 17, 4:39 PM CDT, 2 hours 36 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-172245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
438 PM CDT MON MAY 17 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH # 263 CONTINUES FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
KANSAS...

AT 430 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS BEGINNING TO ENTER INTO SOUTH
CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE STORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES NORTH OF PRATT.  THIS
STORM WILL ENTER INTO WESTERN RENO COUNTY...30 MILES WEST OF HUTCHINSON
NEAR THE TOWNS OF SYLVIA AND TURON BY 500 PM.  IF TREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES MOVE TO A REINFORCED SHELTER UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

ELSEWHERE...SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
NORTH OF A LINE FROM RUSSELL TO MANHATTAN. IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS...
SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED AROUND COFFEYVILLE.  LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN CAN
BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

AREAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY HAVE INCREASED SINCE 330 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

NOONAN
Special weather statement, May 17, 4:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 32 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-172245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTION TO HEADLINE.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS
438 PM CDT MON MAY 17 1993

...TORNADO WATCH # 263 CONTINUES FOR PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 430 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS BEGINNING TO ENTER INTO SOUTH
CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE STORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES NORTH OF PRATT.  THIS
STORM WILL ENTER INTO WESTERN RENO COUNTY...30 MILES WEST OF HUTCHINSON
NEAR THE TOWNS OF SYLVIA AND TURON BY 500 PM.  IF TREATENING WEATHER
APPROACHES MOVE TO A REINFORCED SHELTER UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

ELSEWHERE...SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS PARTS OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
NORTH OF A LINE FROM RUSSELL TO MANHATTAN. IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS...
SHOWERS WERE SCATTERED AROUND COFFEYVILLE.  LIGHT TO MODERATE RAIN CAN
BE EXPECTED WITH THESE SHOWERS.

AREAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY HAVE INCREASED SINCE 330 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER UPDATES
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

NOONAN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 7:08 PM CDTTornado WarningICTButler67 min
May 17, 7:23 PM CDTTornado WarningICTElk52 min
May 17, 7:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTCowley58 min
May 17, 7:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTMontgomery64 min
May 17, 7:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTSumner63 min
May 17, 8:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTCowley63 min
May 17, 8:46 PM CDTTornado WarningICTMontgomery44 min
May 17, 9:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTLabette61 min
May 17, 9:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningICTCherokee63 min
May 17, 10:01 PM CDTTornado WarningICTLabette, Montgomery29 min
May 17, 10:34 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningICTMontgomery4 hr
May 18, 12:01 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningICTChautauqua4 hr
May 18, 12:01 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningICTCherokee4 hr
May 18, 2:26 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningICTCherokee, Labette4 hr
May 18, 2:26 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningICTChautauqua, Montgomery4 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kansas, 1993Every tornado warning in 1993Tornadoes in 1993

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.