Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1993

Tornado Warning 38, NWS Topeka, KS

July 2, 1993Lyon County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Jul 2, 1993, 7:14 PM CDT for Lyon County, Kansas. It was in force for 31 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 2, 1993, 7:14 PM CDT (00:14 UTC)
Expired
Jul 2, 1993, 7:45 PM CDT
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Lyon County, KS

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 00:00Z, 0.2 hours before the alert went out and 75 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 1993-07-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 579 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, Topeka, KS at 00:00Z on 1993-07-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 62 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
579 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-226 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1378 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
62 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
190 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
6.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTOP 030015
TORTOP
KSC111-030045-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
714 PM CDT FRI JUL 2 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  745 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
 
   ...SOUTHERN LYON COUNTY
 
AT 714 PM CDT...RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A POSSIBLE TORNADO
NEAR THE TURNPIKE INTERCHANGE WEST OF EMPORIA. THIS STORM AND
POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT AROUND 15 MPH AND
WILL MOVE ACROSS EMPORIA BETWEEN 715 AND 730.
 
PEOPLE IN EMPORIA SHOULD BE IN A STORM SHELTER NOW!
 
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 OUxTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING.  AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH
OR LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.
 
BILLS

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, Jul 2, 5:05 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-022215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT                     CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
500 PM CDT FRI JUL 2 1993

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS THROUGH 11 PM
   CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...BARTON...LINCOLN...DICKINSON...RUSSELL...
   MCPHERSON...SALINE...ELLSWORTH...RICE...CLAY...CLOUD...OTTAWA...MITCHELL...
   AND OSBORNE...THE WATCH IS IN EFFECT BEGINNING AT 515 PM CDT...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND NORTH
   CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 500 PM CDT RADAR INDICATES A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM OVER WEST
CENTRAL KANSAS 50 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF RUSSELL KANSAS OR NEAR JUST SOUTH
OF HAYS.  NO OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING AT THIS TIME.  PERSONS
ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS POSSIBLE DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION.
                                                                  ...NOLES...
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 5:08 PM CDT, 2 hours 6 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-022315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
508 PM CDT FRI JUL 2 1993

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER EAST CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 500 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED 15 MILES EITHER SIDE
OF A LINE FROM OTTAWA WEST TO JUST NORTH OF EMPORIA TO 15 MILES SOUTH
AND SOUTHWEST OF COUNCIL GROVE. STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE SOUTH OF
COUNCIL GROVE ALONG THE CHASE MORRIS COUNTY LINE...AND 10 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF OTTAWA. THESE STORMS LIKELY CONTAINED VERY HEAVY RAINS
...HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS TO 50 MPH.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

PEOPLE IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS SHOULD GET INDOORS UNTIL THE
STORMS PASS. FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL ALSO OCCUR WITH THE STORMS...
AND LIGHTNING KILLS MORE PEOPLE...ON AVERAGE EACH YEAR...THAN DO
TORNADOES.

BILLS
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 5:51 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-030000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
555 PM CDT FRI JUL 2 1993

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS THROUGH 11 PM
   CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...BARTON...LINCOLN...DICKINSON...RUSSELL...
   MCPHERSON...SALINE...ELLSWORTH...RICE...CLAY...CLOUD...OTTAWA...MITCHELL...
   AND OSBORNE...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND NORTH
   CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 555 PM CDT RADAR CONTINUES TO INDICATE A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF HAYS OR 40 MILES WEST SOUTHWEST OF RUSSELL MOVING ONLY
SLOWLY TO THE NORTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 MPH. ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM WAS
DEVELOPING RAPIDLY OVER DICKINSON COUNTY JUST EAST OF HOPE OR 20 MILES
TO THE SOUTH OF ABILENE.  PERSONS ACROSS ALL OF CENTRAL AND NORTHCENTRAL
KANSAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS
AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
                                                                  ...NOLES...
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 5:58 PM CDT, 1 hour 16 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-030000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
558 PM CDT FRI JUL 2 1993

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER EAST CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 555 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS WERE SCATTERED ALONG A LINE FROM
10 MILES SOUTH OF OTTAWA NEAR PRINCENTON...TO 10 MILES NORTH OF
EMPORIA...TO SOUTH OF COUNCIL GROVE ALONG THE MORRIS/CHASE
COUNTY LINE. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE ALONG THE MORRIS COUNTY/CHASE
COUNTY LINE. THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE LINE HAS SAGGED SOUTHWARD AT
AROUND 10 MPH WHILE THE WESTERN PORTION HAS BEEN NEARLY
STATIONARY.

VERY HEAVY RAINS...SOME PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS TO
45 MILES AN HOUR WERE LIKELY WITH THE STRONGER STORMS.

PEOPLE IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS SHOULD STAY INDOORS AND AWAY
FROM WINDOWS. THE HEAVY RAINS WITH THESE STORMS WILL CAUSE SMALL
STREAM FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS. MOTORISTS
ARE CAUTIONED TO NOT DRIVE INTO WATER ACROSS ROADWASY...IT MAY BE
DEEPER THAN YOU REALIZE.

BILLS
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 6:45 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-030000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
651 PM CDT FRI JUL 2 1993

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS THROUGH 11 PM
   CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...BARTON...LINCOLN...DICKINSON...RUSSELL...
   MCPHERSON...SALINE...ELLSWORTH...RICE...CLAY...CLOUD...OTTAWA...MITCHELL...
   AND OSBORNE...

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR TONIGHT FOR ALL OF CENTRAL AND NORTH
   CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 651 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED WEAKENING THUNDERSTORMS OVER DICKINSON
COUNTY 15 MILES NORTHEAST OF ABILENE AND ENTERING INTO SOUTHWEST OSBORNE
AND NORTHWEST RUSSELL COUNTY NEAR NATOMA.  MOVEMENT CONTINUES TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 1t5 MPH.

CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE
REGION...SOME OF WHICH COULD QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE.  CONTINUE TO MONITOR
THIS WEATHER SITUATION AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

NOLES
Special weather statement, Jul 2, 6:57 PM CDT, 17 minutes before
KSZ013-014-015-016-030100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
657 PM CDT FRI JUL 2 1993

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LYON COUNTY UNTIL
715 PM CDT...

AT 655 \PM CDT...RADAR WAS CONTINUING TO INDICATE A POSSIBLE
TORNADO TO THE WEST OF EMPORIA JUST TO THE NORTH OF PLYMOUTH.
PEOPLE IN PLYMOUTH...AMERICUS AND EMPORIA SHOULD BE IN ASTORM
SHELTER AT THIS TIME!

BILLS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 2, 8:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPLyon44 min
Jul 2, 9:02 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningTOPLyon118 min
Jul 2, 9:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPPottawatomie48 min
Jul 2, 9:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall, Nemaha66 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.