Alert archive / Kansas / Tornado Warnings in 1993

Tornado Warning 63, NWS Topeka, KS

September 21, 1993Jackson County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this tornado warning at Sep 21, 1993, 1:17 PM CDT for Jackson County, Kansas. It was in force for 43 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
Sep 21, 1993, 1:17 PM CDT (18:17 UTC)
Expired
Sep 21, 1993, 2:00 PM CDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

County Jackson County, KS

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Sep 21, 1:40 PM CDTTornado F0Emmett, KSA small tornado hit in open area with minor damage to crops.

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

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 6.3 hours before the alert went out and 48 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 12:00Z on 1993-09-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 12:00Z on 1993-09-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 61 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1292 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
61 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
145 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 KTOP 211817
TORTOP
KSC085-211900-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
117 PM CDT TUE SEP 21 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  200 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
 
   ...EASTERN POTTAWATOMIE AND WESTERN JACKSON COUNTIES...
 
AT 113 PM...DOPPLER RADAR STILL INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO 30 MILES
NORTHWEST OF TOPEKA OR JUST NORTHWEST OF EMMIT. STORM SPOTTERS IN THE
AREA WERE ALSO REPORTING A ROTATING WALL CLOUD WITH OCCASIONAL FUNNEL
CLOUDS. THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL MOVE
NEAR THE TOWN OF EMMETT AROUND 125 PM. IT SHOULD THEN CONTINUE TO MOVE
INTO THE POTAWATOMIE INDIAN RESERVATION AFTER 135 PM.
 
LARGE HAIL IS ALSO LIKELY IN THE ST. CLERE AREA.
 
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A STAIRWELL OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
 
BARLOW

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, Sep 21, 9:30 AM CDT, 3 hours 47 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-211530-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
930 AM CDT TUE SEP 21 1993

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHCENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 930 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED NEWELY DEVELOPED THUNDERSTORMS IN A 20 MILWIDE AREA FROM 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF CONCORDIA NEAR COURTLAND SOUTHWARD
TO 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CONCORDIA NEAR BARNARD.  MOVEMENT IS NORTHEAST
30 MPH.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE 12 MILES NORTHWEST OF CONCORDIA NEAR
SCANDIA AND 20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CONCORDIA NEAR GLASCO.

NOLES
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 9:47 AM CDT, 3 hours 30 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-211545-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
947 AM CDT TUE SEP 21 1993

...THUNDERSTORMS AROUND LOVEWELL LAKE...

A THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WAS
LOCATED AROUND THE LOVEWELL LAKE AREA.  PERSONS NEAR OR AROUND LOVEWELL
LAKE SHOULD MOVE TO A PLACE OF SHELTER AND GET AWAY FROM THE WATER.
MOVEMENT OF THIS STORM IS NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH AND SHOULD MOVE ACROSS
THE JEWELL COUNTY LINE INTO NEBRAKSA BY 955 AM CDT.

NOLES
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 10:46 AM CDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before
KSZ004>008-010-212300-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1046 AM CDT TUE SEP 21 1993

...A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THIS AFTERNOON FOR AREA LAKES IN WESTERN
AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS...

A STRONG SOUTH WIND OF 20 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR OVER WESTERN AND NORTH
CENTRAL KANSAS THIS AFTERNOON WILL CAUSE ROUGH AND CHOPPY WATER
ON AREA LAKES.  ANYONE VENTURING ONTO AREA LAKES SHOULD USE CAUTION
AND STAY IN AREAS PROTECTED FROM THE HIGH WIND.

WALAWENDER
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 11:23 AM CDT, 1 hour 54 minutes before
KSZ013>016-211730-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
1124 AM CDT TUE SEP 21 1993

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING INTO NORTHEAST KANSAS...

AT 1120 AM...RADAR SHOWED A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN SOUTHWEST
OF MARYSVILLE...NEAR THE WASHINGTON-MARSHALL COUNTY LINE.

THE STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

THIS STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH WATERVILLE AND BLUE RAPIDS BETWEEN 1140 AND
1155 AM.

VERY HEAVY RAIN...MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MILES AN
HOUR CAN BE EXPECTED TO ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.

WALAWENDER
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 12:40 PM CDT, 37 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-212300-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1240 PM CDT TUE SEP 21 1993

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL KANSAS

BARTON        RICE       MCPHERSON     RUSSELL
ELLSWORTH     SALINE     DICKINSON     LINCOLN

AND IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS

SMITH     JEWELL     REPUBLIC    WASHINGTON
OSBORNE   MITCHELL   CLOUD       CLAY
OTTAWA

SYNOPSIS:  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS MOVED OUT OF NORTHCENTRAL
KANSAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...LEAVING BEHIND MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES OVER
THE REGION.  MOISTURE CONTINUES TO ADVECT NORTHWARD OVER THE REGION.
A STABLE ATMOSPHERE HAS SETTLED IN BEHIND THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
WHICH WILL SUPRESS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.
HOWEVER...WITH GOOD HEATING AT THE SURFACE...THE APPROACH OF
THE DRYLINE AND A GOOD MOIST LOW LEVEL FLOW FROM THE SOUTHEAST
...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD REDEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON
AND CONTINUE THIS EVENING.

SOME OF THE THESE THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON
COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED TORNADOES.
SPOTTER ACTIVATION COULD BE NEEDED AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES.

NOLES
Special weather statement, Sep 21, 12:41 PM CDT, 36 minutes before
KSZ007-008-010-011-212300-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
1240 PM CDT TUE SEP 21 1993

THIS OUTLOOK PERTAINS TO THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN CENTRAL KANSAS

BARTON        RICE       MCPHERSON     RUSSELL
ELLSWORTH     SALINE     DICKINSON     LINCOLN

AND IN NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS

SMITH     JEWELL     REPUBLIC    WASHINGTON
OSBORNE   MITCHELL   CLOUD       CLAY
OTTAWA

SYNOPSIS:  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAS MOVED OUT OF NORTHCENTRAL
KANSAS EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...LEAVING BEHIND MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES OVER
THE REGION.  MOISTURE CONTINUES TO ADVECT NORTHWARD OVER THE REGION.
A STABLE ATMOSPHERE HAS SETTLED IN BEHIND THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
WHICH WILL SUPRESS THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.
HOWEVER...WITH GOOD HEATING AT THE SURFACE...THE APPROACH OF
THE DRYLINE AND A GOOD MOIST LOW LEVEL FLOW FROM THE SOUTHEAST
...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD REDEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON
AND CONTINUE THIS EVENING.

SOME OF THE THESE THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON
COULD BECOME SEVERE WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF ISOLATED TORNADOES.
SPOTTER ACTIVATION COULD BE NEEDED AS THE AFTERNOON PROGRESSES.

NOLES

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 21, 10:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud33 min
Sep 21, 10:40 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPClay, Washington35 min
Sep 21, 11:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPWashington48 min
Sep 21, 11:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMarshall, Riley42 min
Sep 21, 12:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPPottawatomie45 min
Sep 21, 12:33 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPPottawatomie42 min
Sep 21, 1:17 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPPottawatomie20 min
Sep 21, 1:54 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPJackson51 min
Sep 21, 2:26 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPJefferson, Shawnee49 min
Sep 21, 2:37 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPShawnee38 min
Sep 21, 3:11 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPDouglas, Jefferson64 min
Sep 21, 4:16 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPDouglas, Jefferson29 min
Sep 21, 4:43 PM CDTTornado WarningTOPDouglas32 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.