Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1993
Tornado Warning 18, NWS Topeka, KS
NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at May 8, 1993, 3:44 PM CDT for Smith County, Kansas. It was in force for 46 min. 3 reports 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 8, 1993, 3:44 PM CDT (20:44 UTC)
- Expired
- May 8, 1993, 4:30 PM CDT
- In force
- 46 min
- Issued by
- NWS Topeka, KS
- Area
- Whole counties
County Smith County, KS
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 3:46 PM CDT | Tornado F0 | Smith Center, KS | This tornado touched down over open county and remained over open country until it dissipated. |
| May 8, 3:51 PM CDT | Tornado F0 | Smith, KS | This tornado briefly touched down in a field and then dissipated. |
| May 8, 4:12 PM CDT | Tornado F1 | Thornburg, KS | This tornado touched down in the Thornburg area and damaged a church before moving out across open country and dissipating. |
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
N. Platte/Lee Bi, NE (KLBF), launched 12:00Z, 8.7 hours before the alert went out and 214 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
- 31 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -270 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 816 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 33 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 33 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 74 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 KCNK 082046 TORCNK KSC183-082130- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS 344 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 1993 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CONCORDIA HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 430 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS ...SMITH COUNTY AT 342 PM LAW ENFORCMENT IN THE CITY OF SMITH CENTER REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE CITY OF SMITH CENTER MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 25 TO 30 MPH. 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. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW SPOT AND COVEJR YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS. BAKER
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 8, 12:58 PM CDT, 2 hours 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 1259 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 1993 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 227 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR PART OF KANSAS. THE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES... ...NORTHEAST... BROWN DONIPHAN JACKSON ...EAST CENTRAL... GEARY LYON MORRIS SHAWNEE WABAUNSEE THE FOLLOWING CITIES ARE NO LONGER INCLUDED IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WTATCH... EMPORIA JUNCTION CITY TOPEKA LWS
Special weather statement, May 8, 1:11 PM CDT, 2 hours 33 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-082000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS 111 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 1993 ...SHOWERS SLOWLY LIFTING OUT OF CENTRAL AND NORTH CENRTRAL KANSAS.. AT 105 PM CONCORDIA RADAR SHOWED ONLY LIGHT TO OCCASIONALLY MODERATE SHOWER ACTIVITY MAINLY EAST OF A WICHITA TO SALINA TO 10 MILES EAST OF CONCORDIA LINE. THE PRECIPITATION HAS DECREASED IN INTENSITY AS IT HAS MOVED TO THE NORTH-NORHTEAST AT 30 MPH. AT 100 PM ONLY SCATTERED HIGH CLOUDS WERE BEING REPORTED IN THE RUSSELL AND GREAT BEND AREAS. AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION ONCE AGAIN. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BE AS SEVERE AS IN PROVIOUS AFTERNOONS...BUT THEY MAY PRODUCE HEAVY RAINS OVER ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS. PERSONS ARE ADVISED TO LISTEN TO LOCAL MEDIA OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO CONCERNING ANY THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... AND BE PREPARED FOR LOCALIZED FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER SHOULD HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS PERSIST OVER YOUR AREA. BAKER
Special weather statement, May 8, 1:13 PM CDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-081915- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 111 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 1993 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 227 REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THAT PART OF NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL KANSAS GENERALLY EAST OF LINE FROM NEAR ATCHISON TO NEAR LAWRENCE TO NEAR LYNDON TO NEAR BURLINGTON... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 227 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR THOSE AREAS WEST OF A LINE FROM NEAR ATCHISON TO NEAR LAWRENCE TO NEAR LYNDON TO NEAR BURLINGTON. THE CANCELLED AREAS INCLUDE TOPEKA, JUNCTION CITY AND EMPORIA... ...AND URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY COVERS ALL OF NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL KANSAS UNTIL 5PM THIS AFTERNOON... ...A FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST AND EASTCENTRAL KANSAS THROUGH TONIGHT... AT 110 PM THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH WERE LOCATED 15 MILES SOUTH OF TOPEKA NEAR CARBONDALE...AND 50 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TOPEKA NEAR THE GARNETT AND RICHMOND AREAS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTH AROUND 40 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING INTO THE TOPEKA AND OTTAWA AREAS BY 130PM. PEOPLE IN THE TOPEKA AND OTTAWA AREAS CAN EXPECT BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...WINDS TO 40 MPH AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS PASS THROUGH. AT 110 PM AN AREA OF LIGHT TO MODERATE INTENSITY RAIN COVERED NORTHEAST KANSAS WEST OF A LINE FROM OTTAWA TO TOPEKA TO MARYSVILLE. THE RAIN WAS MOVING TO THE NORTH AROUND 40 MPH. LWS b
Special weather statement, May 8, 1:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before
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
Special weather statement, May 8, 2:09 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-082030 SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS 209 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 1993 THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHEAST KANSAS HAS EXPIRED. AREAS OF RAIN WITH EMBEDDED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHWARD ACROSS THE AREA. WHILE THE THREAT OF LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS HAS ENDED BUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING FROM ADDITIONAL RAIN CONTINUES. KML..1909Z
Special weather statement, May 8, 3:12 PM CDT, 32 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-082115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS 313 PM CDT SAT MAY 8 1993 ...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN REPORTED OVER A PART OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS... AT 310 PM CONCORDIA RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN 55 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF CONCORDIA OR JUST TO THE SOUTH AND EAST OF SMITH CENTER. THIS THUNDERSTORM MAY CAUSE BRIEF URBAN FLOODING IN THE CITY OF SMITH CENTER AND CAUSE REDUCED VISIBILITIES ON AREA HIGHWAYS AS IT TRACKS TO THE NORTH AT 15 TO 20 MPH. PERSONS IN SMITH COUTNTY OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMP TO CROSS ANY AREA OF WATER ON FOOT OR BY CAR. THESE THU,NDERSTORMS SHOULD PERSIST IN THE SMITH COUNTY AREA FOR APPROXIMATELY THE NEXT 45 MINUTES. BAKER
The office that day
Everything else NWS Topeka, KS issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 7:51 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TOP | Clay | 39 min |
| May 7, 7:54 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TOP | Rice | 51 min |
| May 7, 8:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Clay, Washington | 66 min |
| May 7, 9:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Marshall, Riley | 51 min |
| May 7, 11:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Lyon | 58 min |
| May 8, 10:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Lyon, Morris | 35 min |
| May 8, 10:25 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | TOP | Coffey, Osage | 35 min |
| May 8, 4:24 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TOP | Morris | 8 hr |
| May 8, 4:27 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | TOP | Smith | 18 min |
| May 8, 5:00 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | TOP | Marshall | 7 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.