Alert archive / Kansas / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 93, NWS Topeka, KS

July 17, 1993Clay County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this flash flood warning at Jul 17, 1993, 7:18 PM CDT for Clay County, Kansas. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 17, 1993, 7:18 PM CDT (00:18 UTC)
Expired
Jul 17, 1993, 10:15 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Clay County, KS

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 137 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 1993-07-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3147 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 1993-07-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 49 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
3147 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1235 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
49 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
65 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 KCNK 180019
FFWCNK
KSC027-180315-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
718 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CONCORDIA HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1015 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
 
   ...CLAY COUNTY
 
AT 715 CLAY COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS TORRENTIAL RAINS FALLING
ACROSS THE AREA WITH TWO TO FOUR INCHES ALREADY REPORTED UPSTREAM FROM
CLAY COUNTY. WITH HEAVY RAINFALL CONTINUING...FLOODING WILL SOON BECOME
A PROBLEM ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE COUNTY.
 
PERSONS ACROSS CLAY 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 FOOT.
 
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 17, 5:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-172345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
546 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #668 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT FOR ALL OF
   CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS EXCEPT MCPHERSON COUNTY...

AT 545 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A BROAD AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A
LINE FROM 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MARYSVILLE TO BELOIT TO HAYS.  THE STRONGEST
STORM WAS LOCATED JUST TO THE NORTH OF CONCORDIA.  AT THIS TIME TORRENTIAL
RAINS ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SMALL
HAIL.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SHELTER
IF THREATENING WEATHER IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

PACKETT
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 5:47 PM CDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-172345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
546 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #668 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT FOR ALL OF
   CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS EXCEPT MCPHERSON COUNTY...

AT 545 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A BROAD AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A
LINE FROM 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MARYSVILLE TO BELOIT TO HAYS.  THE STRONGEST
STORM WAS LOCATED JUST TO THE NORTH OF CONCORDIA.  AT THIS TIME TORRENTIAL
RAINS ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SMALL
HAIL.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SHELTER
IF THREATENING WEATHER IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.

PACKETT
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 6:18 PM CDT, 1 hour before
KSZ013-014-015-016-180015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
618 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS AND GUSTY WINDS CONTINUE
TO MOVE ACROSS PARTS OF NORTHEAST KANSAS...

AT 605 PM RADAR INDICATED THE LEADING EDGE OF THUNDERSTORMS ON A LINE
FROM JUST EAST OF HIAWATHA TO CORNING...ABOUT 45 MILES NORTH OF TOPEKA
TO ABOUT 10 MILES NORTH OF MANHATTAN OVER TUTTLE CREEK LAKE.

STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE ABOUT 15 MILES TO THE WEST OF CORNING.

LOCAL RAINFALLS OF OVER 2 INCHES HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORNGER
THUNDERSTORMS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST ABOUT 30 MILES AN HOUR AN WOULD PUT THEM
ON A LINE FROM ABOUT 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF TOPEKA...NEAR ATCHISON TO
ABOUT 25 MILES NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA...NEAR ST MARYS BY OR SHORTLY
AFTER 7 PM CDT.

ADDITIONALLY SOME WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE JUST AHEAD OF
THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM FOR MARSHALL COUNTY
...ABOUT 60 MILES NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA.

A FLASH FLOOD WATCH COVERS ALL OF NORTHEAST KANSAS THROUGH THE NIGHT.
MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED NOT TO CROSS WATER FLOWING OVER RAODWAYS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCHES ALSO COVER PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST KANSAS
DURING THE EVENING HOURS.

FRANTZ

&
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:09 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-170100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
709 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #668 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT FOR ALL OF
   CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS EXCEPT MCPHERSON COUNTY...

AT 705 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A BROAD AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A
LINE FROM JUNCTION CITY TO MINNEAPOLIS TO 20 MILES SOUTH OF HAYS. THE STRONGEST
STORM WAS LOCATED JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF CONCORDIA.  AT THIS TIME TORRENTIAL
RAINS ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SMALL
HAIL.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SHELTER
IF THREATENING WEATHER IS OBSERVED OR TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING IS
OBSERVED.

PACKETT
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:10 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-170100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
709 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #668 IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM CDT FOR ALL OF
   CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS EXCEPT MCPHERSON COUNTY...

AT 705 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A BROAD AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A
LINE FROM JUNCTION CITY TO MINNEAPOLIS TO 20 MILES SOUTH OF HAYS. THE STRONGEST
STORM WAS LOCATED JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF CONCORDIA.  AT THIS TIME TORRENTIAL
RAINS ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SMALL
HAIL.  THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

PERSONS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SHELTERn
IF THREATENING WEATHER IS OBSERVED OR TO HIGHER GROUND IF FLOODING IS
OBSERVED.

PACKETT
Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:18 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-180115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
718 PM CDT SAT JUL 17 1993

...HEAVY RAINS WERE CONTINUING ACROSS PARTS OF NORTHEAST KANSAS...

AT 705 PM CDT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED MAINLY NORTH OF A LINE
FROM ABOUT 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF TOPEKA...NEAR ATCHISON TO ABOUT
25 MILES NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA NEAR ST MARYS TO NEAR MANHATTAN.

STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS FROM ABOUT 35 MILES NORTH OF TOPEKA NEAR
CIRCLEVILLE TO ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA NEAR EMMETT.
RAINFALLS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WERE POSSIBLE IN A SHORT TIME FROM
THESE THUNDERSTORMS.

VERY HEAVY RAINS WERE ALSO REPORTED AT AROUND 7 PM ABOUT 30 MILES
WEST OF HIAWATHA OR TO THE SOUTH OF SENECA.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT ABOUT 25 MPH HAD HAVE SHOWED
SOME DECREASE IN COVERAGE SINCE ABOUT 645 PM.  IF THE STORMS HOLD
TOGETHER THEY WOULD BE ON A LINE NEAR LEAVENWORTH TO ABOUT 10 MILES
NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA NEAR SILVER LAKE BY AROUND 8 PM CDT.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR MARSHALL COUNTY...ABOUT
60 MILES NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA UNTIL 9 PM CDT.  IF YOUR PLAN TO BE
DRIVING ACROSS ANY OF THE NORTHERN TIER OF COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST KANSAS
THIS EVENIN.G BE ALERT FOR WATER OVER ROADWAYS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCHES ALSO ARE IN FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST THROUGH
MUCH OF THE EVENING HOURS.

FRANTZ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 17, 8:10 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPJewell3 hr
Jul 17, 8:35 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPCloud, Republic115 min
Jul 17, 10:59 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPCloud, Republic, Washington3 hr
Jul 17, 10:59 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPJewell3 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.