Alert archive / Kansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 82, NWS Topeka, KS

July 13, 1993McPherson County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this flash flood warning at Jul 13, 1993, 8:42 PM CDT for McPherson County, Kansas. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 13, 1993, 8:42 PM CDT (01:42 UTC)
Expired
Jul 13, 1993, 11:45 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County McPherson County, KS

The nearest sounding before it

Dodge City, (KDDC), launched 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 209 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 1993-07-14Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2058 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, Dodge City, at 00:00Z on 1993-07-14The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -4 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
2058 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1768 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-4 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
59 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
3.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KCNK 140144
FFWCNK
KSC113-140445-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
842 PM CDT TUE JUL 13 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CONCORDIA HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1145 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN CENTRAL KANSAS
 
   ...MCPHERSON COUNTY
 
AT 840 PM REPORTS OF UP TO FIVE INCHES OF RAIN HAVE BEEN REPORTED OVER
THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF MCPHERSON COUNTY. NUMEROUS REPORTS OF ROADS
UNDER WATER AND SEVERE STREET FLOODING HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED.
 
PERSONS ACROSS MCPHERSON COUNTY...ESPECIALLY THE NORTHERN SECTIONS OF
THE COUNTY SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY RISING WATER LEVELS AND BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF NECESSARY.
 
MOST FLOODING DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS BRIDGES... DIPS... OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL
ONE...ON FOOT.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES... DIPS... OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM... EVEN A SMALL
ONE... ON F:OOT.
 
 
PACKETT

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 13, 6:36 PM CDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before
KSZ013>016-140030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
635 PM CDT TUE JUL 13 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHEAST
   KANSAS UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 630 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADR INDICATED THAT NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS OCCURRNG
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS...HOWEVER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 15
MILES NORTHEAST OF MARYSVILLE NEAR AXTELL TO 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF
MANHATTAN NEAR RANDOLPH. THIS LINE OF PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING SLOWLY TO
THE SOUTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH. THE TOWNS OF FRANKFORT...BLAINE AND RILEY
MAY SEE A SHOWER OR THUNDERSTORM BY 730 PM.

ANOTHER AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM 15 MILES
EAST OF EMPORIA NEAR MELVERN TO NEAR OTTAWA. THESE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTOMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 15 MPH AND SHOULD MOVE ACROSS OTTAWA AND
LYNDON BETWEEN 7 AND 730 PM.
+
THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS APPEARS TO BE BRIEF...LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINS AND DEADLY CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD MOVE INDOORS. DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE
ACROSS ROADWAYS THAT ARE COVERED BY WATER.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 6:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-140100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
654 PM CDT TUE JUL 13 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND
NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS EXCEPT FOR SMITH AND OSBORNE COUNTIES...
...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE UNTIL 730 PM FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY AND
UNTIL 8 PM FOR MITCHELL COUNTY...

AT 651 PM CDT RADAR CONTINUES TO INDICATE THE LEADING EDGE OF AN AREA OF
THUNDERSTORMS 40 MILES WIDE EXTENDING FROM 20 MILES NORTH OF MANHATTAN TO
10 MILES NORTH OF SALINA TO 30 MILES WEST OF GREAT BEND. THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS...PRODUCING FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...
GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH AND SMALL HAIL WERE LOCATED 30 MILES EAST OF
CONCORDIA NEAR PALMER...35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CONCORDIA NEAR CLAY CENTER...
15 MILES NORTH OF SALINA NEAR BENNINGTON AND 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CONCORDIA
NEAR ASH GROVE.

MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. PERSONS IN
THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER INSIDE OF A REINFORCED
BUILDING AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED. LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RDIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA SOURCE FOR FURTHER WEATHER INFOR-
MATION AND STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

SW
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 6:55 PM CDT, 1 hour 47 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-140100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
654 PM CDT TUE JUL 13 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND
NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS EXCEPT FOR SMITH AND OSBORNE COUNTIES...
...FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS CONTINUE UNTIL 730 PM FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY AND
UNTIL 8 PM FOR MITCHELL COUNTY...

AT 651 PM CDT RADAR CONTINUES TO INDICATE THE LEADING EDGE OF AN AREA OF
THUNDERSTORMS 40 MILES WIDE EXTENDING FROM 20 MILES NORTH OF MANHATTAN TO
10 MILES NORTH OF SALINA TO 30 MILES WEST OF GREAT BEND. THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS...PRODUCING FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...
GUSTY WINDS OF 35 TO 45 MPH AND SMALL HAIL WERE LOCATED 30 MILES EAST OF
CONCORDIA NEAR PALMER...35 MILES SOUTHEAST OF CONCORDIA NEAR CLAY CENTER...
15 MILES NORTH OF SALINA NEAR BENNINGTON AND 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CONCORDIA
NEAR ASH GROVE.

MOVEMENT OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. PERSONS IN
THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER INSIDE OF A REINFORCED
BUILDING AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORMS HAVE PASSED. LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RDIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA SOURCE FOR FURTHER WEATHER INFOR-
MATION AND STATEMENTS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

SW
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 7:36 PM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
KSZ013>016-140130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
735 PM CDT TUE JUL 13 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHEAST
   KANSAS UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 730 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS OCCURRING
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS...HOWEVER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM 20
MILES WEST OF HIAWATHA NEAR SENECA TO MANHATTAN TO 15 MILES WEST OF JUNCTION
CITY. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF JUNCTION CITY
NEAR MILFORD LAKE. THIS STORM WILL CONTAIN VERY HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUSTS OF
40 MPH AND DEADLY CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING...AND WILL MOVE ACROSS JUNCTION
CITY AROUND 815 PM. THIS PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH...
AND SHOULD AFFECT THE TOWNS OF SABETHA...ONAGA...MANHATTAN AND JUNCTION
CITY BETWEEN 8 AND 830 PM.

THE SHOWERS NEAR OTTAWA HAD WEAKENED AND NEARLY DISSIPATED.
+
THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS APPEARS TO BE BRIEF...LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINS AND DEADLY CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD MOVE INDOORS. DO NOT TRY TO DRIVE
ACROSS ROADWAYS THAT ARE COVERED BY WATER.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 7:47 PM CDT, 55 minutes before
KSZ010-011-140047-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
745 PM CDT TUE JUL 13 1993

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 655 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR PART
OF KANSAS.  THE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES...

...NORTH CENTRAL...
CLAY            CLOUD           JEWELL          MITCHELL
OTTAWA          REPUBLIC        WASHINGTON

...CENTRAL...
LINCOLN

THE FOLLOWING CITIES ARE NO LONGER INCLUDED IN THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WATCH...

CONCORDIA

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM THESE AREAS...SO THE
THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER HAS ENDED.

BARLOW
Special weather statement, Jul 13, 8:34 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
KSZ013>016-140230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
833 PM CDT TUE JUL 13 1993

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFECT FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST
   KANSAS...

AT 830 PM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED NO SEVERE WEATHER OCCURRING
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS. HOWEVER SHOWERS AND SCATTERED MODERATE INTENSITY
THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM JUST SOUTH OF HIAWATHA TO NEAR HOLTON
TO MANHATTAN TO 15 MILES SOUTH OF JUNCTION CITY. THE STRONGEST STORMS
WERE LOCATED 15 MILES SOUTH OF JUCNCTION CITY JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF
WHITE CITY. THESE STORMS WILL CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH
AND DEADLY CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING. CURRENT MOVEMENT WOULD TAKE THESE
STORMS ACROSS COUNCIL GROVE LAKE AND THE CITY OF COUNCIL GROVE BY 915 PM.

BOATERS AT COUNCIL GROVE LAKE SHOULD GET OFF THE LAKE UNTIL THE STORMS
PASS.

THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS APPEARS TO BE BRIEF...LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINS AND DEADLY CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD MOVE INDOORS. ALSO...MOTORISTS
ARE CAUTIONED TO NOT DRIVE ACROSS ROADWAYS COVERED BY WATER. THE WATER
MAY BE DEEPER THAN YOU THINK AND COULD WASH YOUR CAR OFF THE ROAD AND
INTO THE DITCH OR STREAMBED.

BILLS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 13, 7:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPDickinson, Saline48 min
Jul 13, 7:47 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPRussell3 hr
Jul 13, 7:47 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPSaline3 hr
Jul 13, 8:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMcPherson40 min
Jul 13, 10:42 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPSaline2 hr
Jul 13, 10:42 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPRussell2 hr
Jul 13, 11:45 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPMcPherson, Rice2 hr
Jul 14, 12:25 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPDickinson3 hr
Jul 14, 1:56 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPMcPherson3 hr
Jul 14, 5:00 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPMcPherson3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kansas, 1993Every flash flood warning 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.