Alert archive / Kansas / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 13, NWS Topeka, KS

April 25, 1994Jackson County, Jefferson County, Shawnee County, Kansas

NWS Topeka, KS issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 25, 1994, 6:16 PM CDT for Jackson County, Jefferson County, Shawnee County, Kansas. It was in force for 29 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 25, 1994, 6:16 PM CDT (23:16 UTC)
Expired
Apr 25, 1994, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
29 min
Issued by
NWS Topeka, KS
Area
Whole counties

Counties Jackson County, KS, Jefferson County, KS, Shawnee County, KS

The nearest sounding before it

Topeka, KS (KTOP), launched 12:00Z, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 26 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 1994-04-25Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 608 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 12:00Z on 1994-04-25The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 167 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
608 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-249 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
690 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
167 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
323 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KTOP 252316
SVRTOP
KSC177-085-087-252345-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
616 PM CDT MON APR 25 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TOPEKA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  645 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL KANSAS
 
   ...NORTHERN SHAWNEE COUNTY
 
IN NORTHEAST KANSAS
 
   ...JACKSON COUNTY...JEFFERSON COUNTY
 
THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OUT OF THE TOPEKA AREA ARE PRODUCING WINDS TO NEAR
60 MILES AN HOUR. THE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 40 MILES AN HOUR
AND SHOULD MOVE INTO THE HOLTON AND OSKALOOSA AREAS BY 630 PM.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLYJ LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
 
KISNER
 
&

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Apr 25, 4:53 PM CDT, 1 hour 23 minutes before
KSZ010>012-022>026-036>040-054>056-058-059-252255-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
452 PM CDT MON APR 25 1994

...SHOWERS WERE MOVING INTO EAST-CENTRAL KANSAS...

AT 450 PM SHOWERS WERE MOVING INTO PARTS OF EAST-CENTRAL KANSAS.
RADAR INDICATED SCATTERED SHOWERS FROM JUST NORTH OF MANHATTAN ALONG
TUTTLE CREEK LAKE TO NEAR EMPORIA.  NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED FROM
THESE SHOWERS AT THIS TIME.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURING IN SOUTHEAST KANSAS AN THESE ARE
MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.  THESE STORMS MAY REACH THE
AREA BETWEEN EMPORIA AND OTTAWA BY 530 PM.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR MOST OF NORTHEAST AND
EAST-CENTRAL KANSAS.  THE WATCH COVERS THAT PART OF THE REGION WEST OF
A LINE FROM NORTH OF TOPEKA NEAR SENECA TO OTTAWA.

KEEP AN EYE ON THE WEATHER AS CONDITIONS MAY CHANGE RAPIDLY.

KISNER
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 5:08 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
KSZ031-061-081-252315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
507 PM CDT MON APR 25 1994

TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 116 HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR PART OF KANSAS.
THE WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

...CENTRAL...
ELLIS

...SOUTH CENTRAL...
PRATT           STAFFORD

THE FOLLOWING CITIES ARE NO LONGER INCLUDED IN THE TORNADO
WATCH...

HAYS            PRATT

BILLS
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 5:26 PM CDT, 50 minutes before
KSZ010>012-022>026-036>040-054>056-058-059-252330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
525 PM CDT MON APR 25 1994

...SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTH...

AT 520 PM AN AREA OF SHOWERS WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM
SOUTH OF MANHATTAN NEAR COUNCIL GROVE TO EAST OF EMPORIA NEAR
BURLINGTON.  THE STRONGEST STORM WAS JUST TO THE SOUTHEAST OF EMPORIA.
HEAVY RAINS...LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR WILL
ACCOMPANY THE STRONGER STORMS.

THIS AREA OF RAIN CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE NORTH AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
WITH THIS CURRENT SPEED...RAIN SHOULD REACH INTERSTATE 70 BETWEEN 6 AND
630 PM.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED SO F0AR THIS EVENING.  A TORNADO
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF THE REGION UNTIL 10 PM.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

KISNER
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 5:27 PM CDT, 49 minutes before
KSZ006>009-018>021-034-035-252315-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
526 PM CDT MON APR 25 1994

...TORNADO WATCH #116 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR ALL OF NORTH CENTRAL
KANSAS...

AT 525 PM RADAR SHOWED THAT ALL THUNDERSTORMS HAD MOVED NORTH OUT
OF NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS INTO NEBRASKA...HOWEVER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
WERE BEGINNING TO DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KANSAS WHICH ARE MOVING
NORTH AT 50 MPH.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED 5 MILES SOUTHEAST OF NATOMA
OR 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF HAYS AND 5 MILES SOUTH OF SYLVAN GROVE OR 25 MILES
EAST OF RUSSELL.  PERSONS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLYCHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

LISTEN TO <NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA SOURCE FOR FURTHER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS THROUGH THE EVENING CONCERNING THIS
VERY VOLATILE SITUATION.
..PACKETT..
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 6:04 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
KSZ010>012-022>026-036>040-054>056-058-059-260005-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TOPEKA KS
604 PM CDT MON APR 25 1994

...VERY GUSTY WINDS OVERSPREADING NORTHEAST KANSAS...

THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE TOPEKA AREA IS PRODUCING VERY GUSTY
WINDS.  GUSTS AROUND 40 MILES AN HOUR ARE LIKELY TO CONTINUE UNTIL
AROUND 630 PM.  THE WINDS SHOULD REACH THE LAWRENCE AREA BY 615 PM.
THIS STORM IS MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 40 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD MOVE
INTO THE JACKSON AND JEFFERSON COUNTY AREAS BY 630 PM.

THE OSAGE COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTED SOME TREE AND WINDOW DAMAGE AS THE
STORM MOVED THROUGH THE OSAGE CITY AND CARBONDALE AREAS AROUND 550 PM.

THOSE AT AREA LAKES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORMS SHOULD BE MOVING TO
SHELTER AT THIS TIME.  THESE WINDS WILL MAKE FOR VERY ROUGH WATERS ON
THESE LAKES.

KISNER
Special weather statement, Apr 25, 6:15 PM CDT, 1 minute before
KSZ019-260015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CONCORDIA KS
613 PM CDT MON APR 25 1994

AT 613 PM RADAR SHOWS THE STORM OVER MITCHELL COUNTY TO BE WEAKENING AS
IT CONTINUES TO MOVE NORTH AT 50 MPH...THEREFORE THE WARNING FOR
MITCHELL COUNTY WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE AT 615 PM.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WERE LOCATED
FROM 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SMITH CENTER TO 25 MILES NORTHEAST OF
PHILLIPSBURG. MDOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTH AT 5O MPH.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 25, 1:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOsborne43 min
Apr 25, 2:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOsborne37 min
Apr 25, 2:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPSmith51 min
Apr 25, 2:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMitchell, Osborne45 min
Apr 25, 2:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPOttawa52 min
Apr 25, 3:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJewell, Smith34 min
Apr 25, 3:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPCloud46 min
Apr 25, 3:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPRepublic37 min
Apr 25, 5:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPMitchell41 min
Apr 25, 6:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPAtchison, Brown33 min
Apr 25, 6:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningTOPJackson25 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kansas, 1994Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1994

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.