Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1993
Tornado Warning 4, NWS Wichita, KS
NWS Wichita, KS issued this tornado warning at May 17, 1993, 4:45 PM CDT for Reno County, Kansas. It was in force for 45 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 17, 1993, 4:45 PM CDT (21:45 UTC)
- Expired
- May 17, 1993, 5:30 PM CDT
- In force
- 45 min
- Issued by
- NWS Wichita, KS
- Area
- Whole counties
County Reno County, KS
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 5:17 PM CDT | Tornado F0 | Turon, KS | The tornado touched ground briefly, but no damage resulted. |
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
Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 12:00Z, 9.8 hours before the alert went out and 161 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 617 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 19 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 133 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 212 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KICT 172147 TORICT KSC155-172230- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 445 PM CDT MON MAY 17 1993 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN WICHITA HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 530 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS ...RENO COUNTY AT 445 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO 17 MILES NORTHEAST OF PRATT NEAR NEOLA IN SOUTHEAST STAFFORD COUNTY. IT IS MOVING EAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR. IT WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN RENO COUNTY 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF HUTCHINSON OR JUST NORTH OF TURON AROUND 455 PM. PERSONS IN TURON...LANGDON AND ARLINGTON SHOULD GO TO THEIR TORNADO 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. KING
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, 12:49 PM CDT, 3 hours 56 minutes before
KSZ009-011-012-014-017-171845- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WICHITA KS 1248 PM CDT MON MAY 17 1993 ...THUNDERSTORMS WERE EXITING SOUTHEAST KANSAS... AT 1235 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS WERE FINALLY MOVING OUT OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES NORTHWEST OF FORT SCOTT NEAR COLONY. THIS STORM WILL MOVE JUST NORTH OF FULTON BY 100 PM. STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES MOVE TO A REINFORCED SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. THIS STORM WAS PART OF A LARGER AREA OF SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WHICH EXTENDED IN A BAND...50 MILES WIDE...FROM NEAR PHILLIPSBURG THROUGH MANHATTAN AND OTTAWA TO JUST NORTH OF FORT SCOTT. AREAL COVERAGE AND INTENSITY HAVE DECREASED SINCE 1130 AM. ALTHOUGH THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING OUT OF SOUTHEAST KANSAS... THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE ACROSS CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON. NOONAN
Special weather statement, May 17, 3:39 PM CDT, 1 hour 6 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, 1 hour 5 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, 7 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, 6 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 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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 5:25 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ICT | Reno | 50 min |
| May 17, 5:34 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ICT | Kingman | 41 min |
| May 17, 6:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ICT | Butler | 57 min |
| May 17, 6:16 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ICT | Kingman | 59 min |
| May 17, 6:28 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ICT | Harper | 47 min |
| May 17, 6:29 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ICT | Butler | 61 min |
| May 17, 6:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ICT | Elk | 61 min |
| May 17, 6:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ICT | Sedgwick, Sumner | 61 min |
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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.